Canadian Medical Assistance Teams (CMAT), in partnership with Humanity First Canada (HF), deployed a WHO/PAHO–coordinated Emergency Medical Team (EMT Type 1 – mobile) to Honduras in November 2020 following Hurricanes Eta and Iota. A 10‑member volunteer team departed Canada on 16 November and commenced daily mobile clinic operations on 22 November on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula. Clinics provided primary health care and emergency care, supported by two mobile medical units and water purification equipment. ¹ Operations prioritized hard‑to‑reach and flood‑affected communities, including at least one documented home visit for a non‑ambulatory elder. CMAT aligned with PAHO/WHO and the Honduran Ministry of Health and coordinated public updates and donor appeals throughout the mission.³

Hurricane Eta made landfall as a Category 4 storm on 3 November 2020, bringing extreme rainfall (locally 600+ mm), riverine flooding and landslides across northern Nicaragua and Honduras. Twelve days later, Hurricane Iota made landfall at Category 4 along a similar track, compounding humanitarian needs and disrupting access to care across affected departments.²

Activation: CMAT/HF joint EMT activated in mid‑November 2020 under PAHO/WHO EMT mechanisms and Honduran Ministry of Health request.¹ Team size and mix: 10 volunteers including physicians, nurse practitioners, a midwife and logisticians.¹ Modality and capacity: EMT Type 1 (mobile) configured as two mobile medical units; daily primary and urgent care.¹³ Staging and arrival: Team departed Toronto 16 Nov 2020; initial base near San Pedro Sula; local access constraints reported due to flooding.¹³ Facility set‑up: Inflatable/portable field clinic set up in a village school outside San Pedro Sula to decongest damaged facilities.³ COVID‑19 risk management: Volunteer deployment under strict PPE protocols with mandatory quarantine upon return.³⁶