Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, left a path of destruction in its wake as it moved through the Caribbean Sea and the United States, leaving behind billions of dollars in crop and infrastructure damage, extensive power outages, food and water shortages, and reported death tolls of at least 19 in the Caribbean and 36 in Texas.
The hurricane hit Jamaica on July 3rd, slammed into the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico on July 5th and made landfall in Texas on July 8th. It brought damaging winds, a life-threatening storm surge, heavy rainfall and dangerous flooding. Millions in Texas lost power, creating problems for healthcare facilities and those with chronic conditions that require medical equipment.
In Jamaica, we are working with the National Healthcare Enhancement Foundation (NHEF), an arm of the Jamaican Ministry of Health (MoH), to support three temporary health centers, a hospital that is replacing services for three neighboring non-functioning clinics, and the Saint Elizabeth Regional Health Center, which is home to the offices of the regional health team. We have distributed thousands of items for construction activities, including water tanks, PVC pipes, shower heads, cement and paint rollers, to ensure proper infrastructure necessary for patient care. We also have provided partner facilities with urgent medical supplies, including diagnostic kits, wound-care and hygiene kits, first-aid kits and flashlights. Additionally, we have procured and distributed vital medical equipment, including IV poles, blood pressure monitors, stethoscopes and scales.
In Texas, International Medical Corps has partnered with key nonprofit community health center organizations throughout the greater Houston region that serve vulnerable and economically challenged communities, including unhoused, immigrant and low-income residents—many of whom have endured the brunt of the impact from repeated climate-related events.
We quickly distributed critical relief and recovery supplies to partner clinics, including tarps, canned foods, headlamps, and individual wound-care and hygiene kits to five partner community health centers located in the most affected areas throughout the greater Houston region. In collaboration with health center partners, we have identified other critical supply needs and opportunities for high-impact program interventions. We are working to support recovery efforts that are directly linked to strengthening communities’ ability to respond to extreme climate events, in anticipation of what is predicted to be one of the worst hurricane seasons on record.
Continued activities will focus on:
• procuring and distributing medicines, medical equipment and supplies to support local health systems;
• providing non-food items, including hygiene kits and water; and
• helping local partners develop and initiate long-term recovery efforts, including training.
International Medical Corps has the experience necessary to provide emergency medical care and alleviate suffering in the wake of natural disasters. Our teams have responded to major hurricanes and flooding in the United States and the Caribbean since 1998, including Hurricane Katrina, Michael and Ian in the United States, and Hurricane Maria, Dorian and Fiona in the Caribbean.
Your support can help deliver lifesaving medical care and supplies to communities affected by Hurricane Beryl.
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Your Support can Save Lives!
By supporting this project or creating a giving opportunity of your own, you can make a lifesaving difference for families affected by crises in the Caribbean, Mexico, United States and worldwide.
With the support of our global community, in 2023, we:
• reached nearly 16.5 million people affected by armed conflict, natural disasters and disease outbreaks;
• delivered 9,331,598 primary healthcare consultations;
• trained 107,202 people on health, mental health, protection and nutrition-related topics; and
• assisted 2,375,098 people with vital nutrition support.
Join International Medical Corps in our mission to build a healthier and more hopeful world for all in 2024.
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*Please Note for recurring donations: Once we have determined that the community can continue to respond to the after-effects of this emergency without us, we will scale back our response efforts. At that time, we will redirect your future donations where they are needed most to help us respond to future outbreaks of conflict, disease or disaster.
