Health authorities in Westmoreland are maintaining heightened surveillance amid regional concerns about hantavirus, even though Jamaica has not recorded any confirmed cases of the disease. This was disclosed by Medical Officer of Health for Westmoreland, Dr. Marcia Graham. She was addressing the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting in Savanna-la-Mar on Thursday (May 14). Dr. Graham noted that monitoring has been...

The St. Catherine Parish Office of the Social Development Commission (SDC) is spearheading several community outreach activities over the coming weeks to promote health and economic well-being. Among the planned engagements is a ‘Pop-Up and Wellness Stop’ to be held at the Greendale Early Childhood Institution on Wednesday, May 27, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Parish Manager for the agency, Shana-Lee...

Infrastructure work at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, in Westmoreland, to repair damage sustained during the passage of Hurricane Melissa, has received a boost, courtesy of a donation from the Embassy of Jamaica in Tokyo, Japan. The cheque, valued at US$2,831.37 or approximately J$450,000, was handed over by Former Ambassador of Jamaica to Japan, Her Excellency Shorna-Kay Richards, during a...

A move is on to strengthen accountability measures across the public health sector, while advancing a broad legislative agenda aimed at improving governance, transparency and public health protection. Making his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 12, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said the Ministry is going through...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness will be injecting half a billion dollars into an initiative that supports a more family and community-integrated approach to holistic healthcare. Dubbed Community Arranged Response Efforts (CARE) Fund, the initiative aims to support community projects linked to the Ministry’s strategies for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention over the next two years. Portfolio Minister, Dr. the...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is looking to develop a comprehensive policy framework to govern the use of social media by children and adolescents. Making his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (May 12), Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, noted that while social media platforms have transformed communication, networking, and...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has officially launched its Citizens’ Charter and Wait Experience Programme, aimed at improving customer service and strengthening public confidence in the nation’s healthcare system. It is a formal commitment by the Ministry to deliver high-quality, people-centred healthcare services across the island’s more than 300 health centres and 24 public hospitals. Speaking at the launch,...