Daren Johnson | How decisive government action brought care to over 500 women in four weeks

When Hurricane Melissa disrupted communities across Jamaica, the Government moved quickly to protect some of its most vulnerable citizens: pregnant and postpartum mothers.

Under the leadership of Hon. Krystal Lee, MP, State Minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, a targeted maternal health outreach initiative was launched within weeks of the storm.

I had the privilege of observing and supporting this effort, and what I witnessed offers a compelling example of effective crisis response.

In Brown's Town, St. Ann, I watched a young mother break down in tears after receiving an ultrasound. She was five months pregnant. The hurricane had disrupted her access to care, and she had not known whether her baby was alive. By the time she left, she had seen an obstetrician, eaten a hot meal, and received supplies for herself and her child. She was one of over 500 mothers reached across six parishes in under four weeks.

This rapid response did not emerge from a vacuum. Jamaica has been making deliberate investments in maternal health for years. According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness' 2025 Sectoral Presentation, the maternal mortality ratio declined from 211.3 per 100,000 live births at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 to 133 per 100,000 in 2024.

First-trimester antenatal care attendance more than doubled between 2018 and 2023, and over 320 health centres now offer maternal and child health services. The post-hurricane outreach built on this foundation.

What made this initiative effective was both its design and its leadership. Minister Lee's directive was clear: if mothers could not reach care, care would go to them.

Dr. Carol Lord, Maternal Health Programme Coordinator, and her team translated that mandate into an integrated service model combining obstetric care, mental health support, health education, nutrition, and emergency relief. Each outreach session addressed not just clinical needs but the full range of challenges families face after a disaster.

The initiative also demonstrated the strength of Jamaica's health partnerships. The Southern, Western, and North East Regional Health Authorities mobilised alongside ministry personnel. Obstetricians from the University Hospital of the West Indies and parish hospitals volunteered their expertise.

UNICEF and UNFPA contributed supplies and technical support. The Jamaica Red Cross facilitated household assistance. This level of coordination reflects institutional relationships cultivated long before the hurricane made them necessary.

The public health literature is clear that disasters disproportionately affect maternal and child health outcomes. What Jamaica demonstrated is that this trajectory is not inevitable. With political will, clear leadership, and a prepared health system, the most vulnerable can be protected even in crisis.

The integrated approach deployed here aligns with global best practice, treating mothers not as patients with isolated needs but as whole persons navigating complex circumstances.

That mother in Brown's Town, St. Ann stayed with me. Her relief upon seeing her baby on the screen was a testament to what happens when government prioritises its people.

Jamaica's maternal health challenges remain real, but so does its capacity to meet them.

Over 500 women across six parishes in four weeks is not just a number. It is evidence that when leadership acts decisively, systems respond, and lives are protected. On that measure, Jamaica has much to be proud of.

- Dr. Daren Johnson is Senior Advisor/Consultant to the State Minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Jamaica. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com