Residents in Westmoreland are being urged to avoid contact with flood waters and to keep children out of inundated areas as health officials seek to reduce the risk of leptospirosis, following recent heavy rainfall across the parish. Health Promotion and Education Officer for Westmoreland, Gerald Miller, told JIS News that recent persistent downpours have resulted in flooding in several low-lying...

Senior Clinical Psychologist at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Georgia Rose, is encouraging parents and caregivers to prioritise children’s emotional well-being by providing healthy outlets for self expression. She emphasises that children are not immune to stress and trauma and are often more perceptive of difficulties within the home and wider environment than adults may realise. Ms. Rose told...

Parents in St. Catherine were provided with guidance to help their children manage mental health challenges at a wellness session staged by the St. Catherine Parish Development Committee (PDC). The online session, held on May 27, was transmitted via Zoom. Parents were addressed by trained counsellors and other professionals experienced in mental health and family support services, who provided valuable...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness on Friday (May 29) officially launched the Park Walker Initiative, a wellness programme specifically designed to encourage Jamaica’s senior citizens to become more physically active and maintain healthier lifestyles. The initiative forms part of the Ministry’s continued efforts to raise awareness about the importance of regular physical activity in preventing and managing non-communicable diseases...

Some 40 students from five special needs schools in the Corporate Area benefited from a wellness session aimed at better enabling them to navigate emotional challenges and manage daily stress. The recent session, held at the Hope Zoo in St. Andrew was undertaken as part of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s ‘Child Conversation – Special Edition’, in...

Jamaica will join the rest of the world in observance of World Food Safety Day on June 7, under the theme ‘From burden to solution, safe food everywhere’. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses are recorded annually around the world, a reality that underscores the need for continued food-safety practices. Director of...

The Western Child and Adolescent Hospital in St. James will be named in honour of former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, in recognition of her role in initiating the landmark healthcare project. Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement during today’s (May 26), renaming ceremony for the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s...