A New Shipment to Jamaica Meets Post-Hurricane Needs, Part of Large-Scale Medical Aid Response

Pallets of critical medications and supplies are being prepped in the warehouse for shipment to Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa. (Shannon Hickerson/Direct Relief)

By Tori Gordon

October 31, 2025

Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 557 shipments of requested medical aid to 48 U.S. states and territories and 17 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 6.2 million defined daily doses of medication.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included N95 respirator masks, emergency medical backpacks, and treatments for diabetes and skin inflammation.

Direct Relief Continues to Send Critical Medical Aid to Jamacia Following Hurricane Melissa

Direct Relief warehouse staff prepare requested emergency medical aid for shipment to Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa. (Shannon Hickerson/Direct Relief)

Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded, continues to cause severe damage across the Caribbean, with Jamaica hit hardest by winds exceeding 180 miles per hour and widespread flooding. Health facilities in Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic have sustained significant damage, complicating ongoing relief efforts.

Direct Relief has committed $250,000 in emergency funding and dispatched multiple shipments of aid to the region, including field medic packs, hygiene kits, and other requested aid to support thousands of patients in affected communities. Medicines and supplies Direct Relief had already positioned in the region, including hurricane preparedness packs and field medic packs, have been deployed to affected areas.

Today, additional pallets of critical medical supplies, valued at roughly $1 million, are being prepared for shipment to Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness from Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara warehouse. In the shipment are antibiotics, insulin, vaccines, and protective equipment, among other requested aid. Direct Relief staff are now on the ground in Jamaica to assess needs and coordinate response activities with the Ministry of Health, PAHO, and local partners.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 516 shipments containing 427,855 doses of medication this past week to organizations, including the following:

The Community Health Clinic Of SW Missouri, Missouri
Fetter Health Care Network, South Carolina
TJ Bell Family Health Center Pharmacy, South Carolina
Mission Arlington Medical Clinic, Texas
Family Planning Council of Iowa, Iowa

Street Outreach Teams, Michigan
Rural Medical Services, Inc, Tennessee
Seattle Root Community Health, Washington
Midtown Community Health Center, Utah
Wellness Pointe, Texas

AROUND THE WORLD

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 2.7 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 47,076 lbs., to countries including the following:

Lebanon
Liberia
India
Ukraine

Ethiopia
Vietnam
Pakistan
Ghana

Year-to-Date

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 24.6K shipments to 2,597 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 87 countries. These shipments contained 275.5 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $1.8 billion wholesale, totaling 3.5 million lbs.