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The government of Jamaica will be expending millions of dollars this fiscal year to refurbish hospitals, health centres, laboratories and training institutions. Minister of Health, Horace Dalley, who made the announcement in his contribution to the 2006/07 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on September 12, informed that the Falmouth hospital in Trelawny would be refurbished at some $155...

For this fiscal year, the National HIV/AIDS Control Programme will be aiming to improve the way in which it can prevent the spread of the HIV virus among the most vulnerable in the society. "We need to significantly expand the coverage and improve the quality of our prevention interventions among vulnerable populations and the youth," states a Ministry Paper, which...

Jamaicans living with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are being encouraged to take advantage of the anti retroviral (ARV) drugs, which the government readily provides for all persons afflicted with the disease. "Some people are afraid to go for it.I am saying to you if you are out there living with AIDS, don't stay at home and die, the...

Minister of Health, Horace Dalley has disclosed that a study is currently being undertaken by the Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU), to review the system of decentralisation, in order to effect improvements in the Ministry by next year. Addressing the House of Representatives on September 14, Minister Dalley detailed a number of human resource management initiatives, which the Health Ministry...

More than 10,000 AIDS cases have been reported in Jamaica since the disease was first discovered in the island in 1982, with some 6,000 deaths to date. As contained in a Ministry Paper now before the House of Representatives, about 1,000 persons are newly reported as developing AIDS annually in Jamaica. The document, which looks at the performance of the...

The Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) has upgraded and expanded its HIV/AIDS programme in the parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James and Trelawny, as part of efforts to reduce the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region. According to a Ministry Paper, which was tabled in the House of Representatives on September 11 by Minister of Health, Horace Dalley,...

The Government's mental health reform plan is now being implemented on a phased basis in all regions across the island, Minister of Health, Horace Dalley has informed. Making his contribution to the 2006/07 Sectoral Debate in the House on September 12, the Minister said that some elements of the reform plan, which is titled, 'The Development of Community Mental Health...

Minister of Education and Youth, Maxine Henry Wilson, has informed that expansion of some 12 schools began from last year, and not in July this year. "These were started from as far back as a year and a half ago and I hope that those who are always repeating that we started in July, will at last be able to...

South Florida businessman, Philip Wong, has awarded full scholarships to two students of St. George's College in Kingston, for secondary and tertiary studies. The scholarships, to be presented on Friday (September 15) at the College, will assist with covering tuition, books, clothing and food for both students during their tenure at the college and their subsequent tertiary education. Mr. Wong...

Chairman of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, Senator Norman Grant, has recommended that the more than 5,000 children currently under the care of the State, be afforded automatic membership to the 4-H Clubs, so that they may benefit from the programmes and projects offered by the organization. Senator Grant made this proposal while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), between the...

Chairman of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, Senator Norman Grant has renewed his call for harsher penalties for persons, who have been convicted of violent crimes against children. According to Senator Grant, persons charged for rape and murder, should serve their sentences separately instead of concurrently, as is now the case. "I am fundamentally against the law that talks about when...

Minister of State for Agriculture and Lands, Errol Ennis has said that the government strongly supported the move by the Banana Export Company (BECO) to get local banana exporters fair trade certified and has urged the farmers to buy into the process. Mr. Ennis, who was addressing BECO's 19th annual general meeting held yesterday (Sept.13) at the Jamaica Conference Centre,...