The Portland Health Department is urging residents to continue to practise influenza prevention-and-control measures such as proper hand hygiene and cough and sneeze etiquette. Medical Officer of Health for the parish, Dr. Sharon Lewis, made the call while addressing the recent monthly meeting of the Portland Municipal Corporation. She said that the “influenza season is still on” and persons should...

The Portland Health Department is embarking on a programme to eradicate rodents from town centres. The parish has seen an increase in rat infestation in recent months. Public Health Inspector, Samuel Brown, said the programme will cost more than $16 million and will involve interventions such as setting baits and public education on how persons can assist in ridding their...

Pregnant women are being urged to identify their risks early, join high-risk antenatal clinics, if necessary; closely monitor their blood pressure and act quickly at the first sign of trouble. This advice came from Programme Development Officer, Public Health Specialist in the Family Unit, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Carol Lord, at a JIS Think Tank on February 18....

The ongoing redevelopment of the St. James-based Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) has been allocated more than $5 billion in the 2025/2026 financial year. Over the next 12 months, the money will be spent to continue civil works associated with Phase one to three of the redevelopment of the institution, taking it to 90 per cent completion. Details of the project...

The Government has set aside more than $4 billion to combat preventable illnesses under its ‘Prevention and Care Management of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) Project’. Details are outlined in the 2025/26 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives on February 13 by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams. The project is geared at contributing to...

A Group Health Insurance Policy, covering 4,000 members of the Entertainment Registry, free of charge, will be launched by March 2025. Custos of Kingston, Hon. Steadman Fuller, made the disclosure while detailing initiatives under the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, as he delivered the 2025/26 Throne Speech in Gordon House on Thursday (Feb. 13). He noted that in...

The National Committee on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCNCD) is commending the Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ) for using Heart Month in February to sensitise Jamaicans about the importance of adopting healthy dietary practices to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Speaking at the recent Heart Month Launch, Committee Chairman, Professor Trevor Ferguson, said the NCNCD supports the HFJ’s efforts to...