After a hurricane, rebuilding your life also means protecting your health. Flooding, heat, and power outages can affect your medication, how it works and whether it’s still safe to use. Clinical Pharmacist at the NHF, Michele Douglas-Shaw, reminds us, “Keeping medication safe ensures it stays effective and doesn’t cause harm.”

Prioritize Safe Storage

Even if power is out, store medication in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight.

For insulin or medicines that need refrigeration, speak with a pharmacist before use.

Check for Water Damage

Do not use pills that are wet, sticky, swollen, discoloured, or have an unusual smell.

Floodwater, humidity, or heat can damage medication and make it unsafe.

Separate Medication by Family Member

After a hurricane, things get hectic. Keep everyone’s medication in separate labelled bags or containers. This helps prevent mix-ups, especially with children or older relatives. If you have to move between housing, ensure to take all medications with you.

Never Share Medication

Even if someone has a similar condition, their dose and treatment may not be the same. Sharing medication can cause dangerous side effects or delay proper treatment.

Always take medication with clean, bottled or boiled water (cooled) until tap water is once again safe to drink.

Don’t Skip Doses to “Make It Stretch”

Skipping doses, especially for conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, or depression can cause serious health problems. If you are running low, where possible, try to access either NHF DrugServ Pharmacies or our mobile pharmacy services for medication refills.

The NHF has rolled out mobile pharmacy services to several communities in the most affected parishes, St. Elizabeth, St. James, Westmoreland, and Trelawny to ensure continued access to medication and healthcare.

At the NHF, we’re here to help every Jamaican stay healthy, through every storm and every season.