The median age of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Jamaica is 52, which is eight years younger than the global average of 60 years. Medical Oncologist at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Dr. Sheray Chin, told JIS News that “about 60 per cent of the breast cancer that we diagnose in Jamaica is among women between...

Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, has charged the nation’s nurses to prepare to play a greater role in promoting and protecting public health. He noted that nurses, given the regular and frequent contact they have with people, are in a unique position to promote healthy lifestyles and advise persons against habits that can endanger their health. “The...

Educators are welcoming the Government’s $5.9-million incentive programme, which is aimed at increasing secondary-school attendance by students benefiting under the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH). The programme, dubbed ‘School Days Count’, is a two-year initiative and will roll out between February and April in 34 institutions that have below-70 per cent attendance levels. It was launched on...

The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) team has emerged as winners of the National Health Fund’s ‘Force it out Challenge’ competition. The team, as well as other men and women of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) were awarded during a ceremony held on February 23 at the Jamaica Police Academy, Twickenham Park, St. Catherine. The initiative, which was launched on April...

Third form students of Jamaica College (JC), in Kingston learnt about healthy and toxic masculinities and sexual harassment during a sensitisation session held at the institution on February 22. The event, organized by the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA), an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, is a part of the Bureau’s annual school education programme....

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says there has been positive stakeholder response to the Government’s invitation for participation in the Adopt-a-Clinic Initiative. A total of 100 of the country’s 320 public health centres have been shortlisted by the Government under the project, which seeks to attract and identify stakeholders who will adopt the facilities and provide the requisite...

Veterinary Public Health Inspector at the Westmoreland Health Department, Jodi-Ann Harris, says that leptospirosis can be transmitted to humans by domestic animals. Ms. Harris, who was speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the agency’s Montego Bay Regional Office on February 20, said that “while the rats do get all the blame” the leptospirosis bacteria can also...