Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Commander Alvin Gayle, says the national response to Hurricane Melissa was strong, particularly in coordination, “with rapidly mobilised efforts and the unwavering dedication of our front-line teams”. Delivering opening remarks at the Ministry of Health and Wellness After-Action Review of the Hurricane Melissa response, at the Moon Palace...

Chief Public Health Inspector for Portland, Lorenzo Hume, is appealing to Automotive site owners, particularly garages and facilities where spraying takes place, to be careful not to put the public’s respiratory health at risk. Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Portland Municipal Corporation on March 12, Mr. Hume said these facilities “are a significant problem to persons with respiratory...

The Portland Health Department is offering physiotherapy services in primary care in the parish. Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Sharon Lewis, speaking at the March sitting of the Portland Municipal Corporation, said that a Primary Care Physiotherapist joined the staff on January 2, 2026. “She used the month of January to prepare the unit, which is located at the Buff...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), has launched a comprehensive Health After Action Review (AAR) in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, marking a pivotal step in strengthening Jamaica’s emergency preparedness, response, and recovery systems. Speaking during the opening session on Tuesday (March 24) at the Moon Palace Hotel in Ocho Rios,...

Medical Officer of Health for Portland, Dr. Sharon Lewis, has welcomed the expansion of pharmacy services in primary care across the parish, describing it as a significant benefit made possible through the National Health Fund (NHF). Speaking during the Portland Municipal Corporation’s recent monthly meeting in Port Antonio, Dr. Lewis reported that up to the end of January 2026, only...

With the National Health Fund (NHF) providing subsidy for 28 illnesses, this represents 80 per cent coverage of the conditions defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), as chronic illnesses. Addressing the recent launch of the NHF’s expansion of health benefits, at the Spanish Court Hotel in St. Andrew, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Everton Anderson, said the agency has made...

Residents of Portland now have access to electrocardiogram (ECG) services across all three health districts as the parish’s Health Department continues to expand and enhance service delivery for its clients. Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Sharon Lewis, informed the recent sitting of the Portland Municipal Corporation that ECG machines are now available at the Port Antonio Health Centre, the Fair...