Wife of the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, is imploring women to take care of their health and nutrition before and during pregnancy in order to ensure the best outcome for mother and child. She noted that poor nutrition and excess body weight prior to pregnancy are key contributors to many of the complications of pregnancy, including gestational...

The Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ) will observe Heart Month in February under the theme: ‘The Diabetic Heart: Are You at Risk?’     Speaking at a recent JIS Think, HFJ Executive Director, Deborah Chen, said the objective is to turn national attention to the connection between diabetes and heart disease. “I think if we can get people to realise that,...

The Ministry of Health is reporting that the Jamaica Moves in Schools initiative has been well received by 33 schools across the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew,   St. Thomas, and St. Catherine. Members of the Ministry’s health promotion team across the parishes have been working closely with schools to promote the ‘Jamaica Moves’ programme, aimed at influencing students and teachers...

The University Hospital of the West Indies’ (UHWI) Infection Control Unit is now better equipped to respond to dengue fever and other health-related threats. The facility has benefited from an injection of $31.7 million from the Universal Service Fund (USF) in the creation of an infection control surveillance system, which will significantly improve the institution’s disease monitoring and management capabilities....

Consultant Cardiologist at the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, Dr. Handel Emery, has highlighted the need for more resources to address cardiovascular complications, which account for the majority of diabetes-related deaths. Dr. Emery was speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, on January 23, against the background of the observation of Heart Month, under the theme ‘The Diabetic Heart: Are you at...

Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says 10 additional workers will be employed at the Trelawny Health Department’s Vector Control Unit as the Ministry steps up efforts in destroying mosquito breeding sites in the parish. “We are expanding the temporary work staff. We will be moving from 40 to 50 Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) Programme as...

The Ministry of Health is advising persons to seek medical attention immediately after experiencing symptoms of Dengue fever. Making the call, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacqueline Bisasor McKenzie, says once individuals are infected with the disease, they will encounter “warning signs” of persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, tiredness, signs of confusion, lethargy (weakness), and restlessness. “Those are signs of decreased perfusion...