In keeping with reports from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, the Ministry of Health & Wellness is cautioning members of the public to guard against the effects of the Saharan dust that is expected to affect the island starting today through to Thursday. Satellite images on Tuesday showed that a very thin layer of dust had drifted from the Eastern...

Fourteen projects will be executed in several communities on Diaspora Day of Service on Thursday, June 20. The projects, which cover medical missions and community development and educational initiatives, will conclude the 10th Jamaica Biennial Diaspora Conference, which began on Sunday (June 16). The day allows diaspora members to take part in pre-arranged projects in communities across the island. “We...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness will host a series of activities in recognition of World Sickle Cell Awareness Day, which will be observed on Wednesday, November 19, under the theme ‘Sickle Cell Matters, Whole Person, Whole Health – Know Your Status’. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on June 17, National Sickle Cell Programme Coordinator at the Ministry of...

Members of the public are being encouraged to make giving blood a regular routine, so that the island can move the annual 30,000 litres of blood collected to 60,000 litres. Making the call, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dunstan Bryan, said that “the very donation that you provide could save your life, or the life of...

Health and education will be given special attention during the 10th Biennial Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, slated for June 16 to 19. Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, told a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ that there will be dedicated sessions facilitating discussions on healthcare and...

As the summer holidays approach, parents are being implored to properly store medication and household chemicals to prevent them from being ingested by children. Health Promotion and Education Officer for Westmoreland, Gerald Miller, in making the call, said that accidental poisoning among children remains an issue. “While we are seeing fewer cases in comparison to previous years, we are still...

Government Senator, Dr. Sapphire Longmore, is encouraging Jamaicans to show greater compassion towards persons experiencing mental health challenges, which she notes, have become more prevalent across the society. Dr. Longmore emphasised the importance of understanding and supporting individuals struggling with these issues while highlighting the potential adverse effects, particularly on young people. She was speaking during a mental health forum...

The Ministry of Education and Youth, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, will observe National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Awareness Day, on Thursday, May 30. Liaison and Communication Director for the National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Committee, Dr. Michelle Campbell, informed JIS News that, typically, this Day is marked on the fourth Thursday in May....

The Caribbean Poison Information Network (CARPIN) at the University of Technology (UTech) Jamaica is observing Poison Prevention Week from May 26-31, under the theme: ‘Poison Connection - Linking Each Facet of Society’. Poison Information Coordinator at CARPIN, Sherika Whitelocke-Ballingsingh, told JIS News that the observance is an avenue through which the organisation reminds Jamaicans of the importance of protecting health...