Division of Biology and Medicine
Center for Global Health Equity
Date
February 11, 2026
Brown Physicians Partner with Project HOPE to Support Disaster Response Efforts in Jamaica
Following the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, Project HOPE mobilized medical volunteers to address urgent health needs in vulnerable communities in Jamaica. Dr. Rose Zandvliet traveled to Jamaica in January as part of this effort as part of this effort, supporting patients and coordinating disaster-response planning and community-based care delivery.
Dr. Rose Zandvliet served in Jamaica in January with Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere), a global humanitarian organization responding to urgent health needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic storm that caused widespread flooding, infrastructure collapse, and mass displacement across the island.
Dr. Zandvliet joined a small team of five international volunteers representing diverse medical specialties. Together, they traveled to remote and heavily affected communities where clinics and hospitals were damaged or destroyed and access to care remained severely limited. Working in makeshift clinical settings, the team provided frontline medical services to patients of all ages.
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Photo Credit: Dr. Rose Zandvliet | CGHE Affiliated Physician Pictured: Dr. Shareem Jaffry
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Photo Credit: Dr. Rose Zandvliet
Although Dr. Zandvliet is a gynecologist by training, the urgency of need has required her to practice beyond her specialty. Her days included caring for children with dehydration and infections, managing adults with uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes, treating wounds, and providing essential preventive and maintenance care.
“ This experience has been humbling, exhausting, and deeply meaningful—marked by both organizational strain and extraordinary human resilience. ”
Beyond direct patient care, Dr. Zandvliet also helped in building disaster-response infrastructure on-site. Many Project HOPE staff members were hired rapidly during the emergency, and volunteer physicians were involved in planning, logistics, and strategizing infrastructure development alongside clinical care.
One major milestone during her time in Jamaica was coordinating a large community health fair that served more than 200 patients in a single day. The event provided acute care, chronic disease management, mental health support, a pop-up pharmacy, and emergency medical kits, offering comprehensive services to a population with limited access to consistent care.
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Photo Credit: Dr. Rose Zandvliet
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Photo Credit: Dr. Rose Zandvliet
Reflecting on the experience, Dr. Zandvliet described it as both challenging and deeply impactful.
“The work has been intense, resource-limited, and emotionally demanding,” she said, “ highlighting both the fragility and resilience of these communities.”
Dr. Zandvliet has since returned home. Fellow volunteer, Dr. Jaffry, was also part of the relief effort, alongside other members of the team supporting recovery and addressing ongoing health needs in affected communities.