Regional Medical Epidemiologist for the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Dr. Maung Aung, says the Government must be credited for introducing legislation to ban smoking in public places, noting that the measure has helped to slow lung cancer-related deaths in Jamaica. Dr. Aung, who was speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the agency’s Regional Office in...

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says no case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been recorded in the country’s penal system. “We have not had any case of COVID in those institutions and I suspect that this is because of the protocols that we have in place, the alertness of those who are involved and the...

With two churches featuring prominently in the recent outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Church Corner, St. Thomas and Sandy Bay in Clarendon, the Government has decided to ban church conferences and conventions. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holiness, in making the announcement at a virtual press conference on Thursday (August 6), said that the order banning church conferences...

Regional Medical Epidemiologist at Western Regional Health Authority, Dr. Moung Aung, says the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in St. James remains the go-to location for public access to comprehensive cancer care and services. Addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ at the agency’s Montego Bay Regional Office in St. James on July 31, Dr. Aung outlined that the Type...

The Social Development Commission (SDC) has announced that its National Community Cricket Competition will be staged as planned. “We are going to do the National Community Cricket Competition starting August 23 to December 13, with strict protocols and the blessing of the Ministry of Health (and Wellness) and the Government at large. There are 207 teams registered and we are...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the new Ministry of Labour and Social Security building on Windsor Road in St. Ann’s Bay could be named after the late Minister, Mrs. Shahine Robinson, who died on May 29. Speaking to JIS News following an inspection of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s two new mobile units that were...

Social Development Commission (SDC) Executive Director, Dr. Dwayne Vernon, says a 79 per cent increase in the agency’s operating budget over the last four years has enabled the entity to strengthen engagement with communities across the island. “We are looking at $730 million in 2016 to now $1.2 billion in 2020/2021. We are now seeing a 79 per cent increase...