Member countries of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are being encouraged to leverage PAHO’s new ‘One Health’ Policy to reduce the risk of a new pandemic. The policy, approved by regional ministers of health at PAHO’s recent Directing Council meeting, outlines a blueprint for countries to bring together experts and officials from varying sectors to address some of the...

Medical Officer of Health for Westmoreland, Dr. Marcia Graham, says persons of all ages with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are among those more likely to get a severe bout of COVID-19. She was addressing the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation, in Savanna-la-Mar, recently. “Remember, persons living with non-communicable diseases have a worse outcome with COVID-19 and feature very prominent...

The Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD) is looking to acquire technology devices to support online teaching and learning at schools for the deaf. These include laptops, tablets and desktop computers, Director of the Business Development Division at JAD, Deniese Badroe, told JIS News. She noted that with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic impacting face-to-face classes, institutions have had to rely...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew West Rural, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, has announced the establishment of a permanent coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination site in the Stony Hill Division of her constituency. The site is located at the Stony Hill HEART Academy and is open Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 a.m....

The National Council of Taxi Associations (NCOTA) has endorsed the Transport Operators COVID-19 initiative, which was launched on October 5 at the Ministry of Transport and Mining. The initiative is aimed at encouraging more transport operators to get vaccinated by providing them with gas vouchers. Speaking at the virtual event, NCOTA President, Allan Blair, said that the group welcomed the...

Director of Family Health Services in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Melody Ennis, says although the country is experiencing reductions in coronavirus (COVID-19) infections, protocols must be observed. Acknowledging that while the reduction in infections is encouraging, she said the positivity rate is still too high and persons are still being hospitalised. “Outside of those figures and numbers,...

More than 100 front-line healthcare workers in St. Elizabeth South Western are to benefit from a special $750,000 COVID-19 Relief Grant. The grant has been facilitated by fintech company, WiPay, in partnership with Member of Parliament, Floyd Green, and other collaborators to reward the healthcare workers who have been hard at work during the pandemic. At a demonstration ceremony on...