As Jamaica begins rebuilding after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, experts and stakeholders are urging the Government to make mental health support a core part of recovery efforts, especially for the elderly, women, children, persons with disabilities, and those with pre-existing mental health conditions. There needs to urgent partnerships with psychologists, counsellors, churches, and local organisations to deliver psychosocial aid alongside food and shelter relief. 

Road to recovery – focus on mental health

Jamaica Gleaner/1 Nov 2025

MELISSA, ONE of the strongest hurricanes to hit Jamaica in its recorded history, which decimated parishes in the western side of the island, has left more than a heap of mangled structures in its wake. The storm, which made landfall at Category 5 intensity, now has people reeling with a myriad of emotional stress – that of fear, loss of loved ones and homes, uncertainties for the future, and the like.

As the country dusts itself off and gets ready to tread the long, debris-strewn road ahead to repair its infrastructure, addressing people’s mental health should also be a key priority for the Government.

Many are stranded in their communities, cut off from the world, while the wait for news of loved ones is causing anxiety and panic attacks in many. As people get ready to salvage whatever is left of their belongings, their losses are not merely material but psychological too. As The Gleaner reported: “The images from St Elizabeth and other hard-hit parishes tell only half the story; the other half is the quiet, grinding rise of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress among survivors.”

The United Nations Resident Coordinator Dennis Zulu said Hurricane Melissa has caused “tremendous unprecedented devastation” in Jamaica.

One of the major concerns, as evidence and studies indicate, is the correlation of catastrophic events and the rise in the rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other psychiatric disorders. According to The British Journal of Psychiatry: “Meta-analyses and systematic reviews find consistently higher rates of distress and diagnosable illness after floods, storms and earthquakes — sometimes persisting for years if left unaddressed. In short: storms destroy more than homes; they unsettle minds, fracture routines and erode the social supports that protect mental health.”

Depression is one of the common mental health diseases that affect Jamaica – it is estimated that 14.3 per cent or one in every seven persons is dealing with depression.

INKING PARTNERSHIPS

The Gleaner has cautioned that “the broader recovery will be long, difficult and expensive”; these efforts will be “requiring efficient management, effective partnerships and thoughtful leadership”. We reiterate the call for inking partnerships with key stakeholders, which need to put mental-health care high on the agenda and not as an afterthought. As the Government is doubling its efforts to assess the situation on the ground and rebuild key infrastructure, there should be provisions made to create spaces that allow people to seek comfort and to heal.

This newspaper is suggesting that the Government look into collaborating with entities to provide psychosocial support, as the first responders get food and water to those in need. Trained individuals – psychologists, church leaders, counsellors – can try to connect with the people, lend a listening ear, and be the ‘first aid’ to help in reducing stress and trauma. Dedicated helplines and chat services can be expanded and promoted; like the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Helpline and chat services directed towards youth and women. These services would need to be scaled and staffed for the long haul.

Priority should also be given to target the elderly, women and children, persons with disabilities, and those with underlying mental health challenges.

In the medium to long run, schools, clinics and parish councils should mobilise to provide tailored community-based support. Here, local leaders and faith groups can play a critical role. This is the time to rise above ideological differences and collaborate to assist people in trouble. The ministries of health and education can collaborate to offer training to these groups, in basic psychological care. As first responders to a mental health calamity, giving them clear referral pathways to professional services will widen the safety net.

ALLOCATE FUNDS

The Government should allocate funds for sustained mental health services, as part of the recovery budget. Quick-fix solutions, at this juncture, are not going to suffice – they will push unresolved suffering into the future. The Gleaner’s emphasis on partnerships and thoughtful leadership should translate into concrete financing for mental health services.

Collectively, Jamaica must recognise the burden of disaster trauma, especially among people who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods; the elderly, children, and people with pre-existing mental-health conditions. They are at a higher risk of severe and lasting harm. As recovery efforts are being planned, well-being of these vulnerable groups should be addressed concurrently. Community outreach, mobile clinics and school-based programmes can reduce the risk of long-term disability and break the cycle of poverty and illness that too often follows disaster.

Addressing mental health is central to the country’s long road to recovery. Jamaica not only needs rebuilt infrastructure but it also needs its people to overcome their traumas. As we rebuild physical structures, we need to ensure that the people are mentally healed and strong.

We can’t mince words – addressing mental health can’t be seen as an afterthought post Hurricane Melissa. As one letter writer to the newspaper wrote: “Mental health is a lifeline, not a luxury.”

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