The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) is intensifying efforts to reduce substance abuse among young people, particularly children. Research Analyst at the NCDA, Uki Atkinson, told JIS News that while the overall trend in relation to drug use in Jamaica is showing a slight decrease over the last few years, “we are still concerned about the early introduction of...

The renaming of Bog Walk High School to the Enid Bennett High School has been endorsed by Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for West Central St. Catherine, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton. At the renaming ceremony for the school on Tuesday (June 19), Dr. Tufton said the late Enid Bennett, who was a former Member of Parliament for...

As Jamaica observes Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Awareness Week (June 17-23), Consultant, Emergency Health and Director at the Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ), Dr. Hugh Wong, is reminding school administrators to ensure that active students, such as athletes, are screened to ascertain risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Speaking at a recently held JIS ‘Think Tank’, Dr. Wong highlighted the importance of...

The Registrar General’s Department (RGD) will be hosting a series of registration fairs across the island over the next 18 months to facilitate persons who are without a birth certificate or those who may need to complete the process. The first in the series of fairs will be held on Wednesday (June 20) from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at...

Director at the Heart Foundation and Consultant Emergency Physician, Dr. Hugh Wong, has appealed to Jamaicans to do something to help if someone is having a cardiac arrest. “Don’t just stand by and look, do something to assist,” he urged, as he addressed a Jamaica Information Service ‘Think Tank’, recently. “Oxygen-starved brain cells begin to die and the individual can...

The Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ) will be observing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Awareness week from June 17 to 23 under the theme ‘Every Second Counts: CPR Saves Lives!. Activities get under way with a live CPR demonstration at the ‘Everyone’s a Winner’ Father’s Day race at Hope Gardens, St. Andrew, on Sunday. CPR demonstrations will continue at Emancipation Park on...

Coverage of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) 2 vaccination has increased, reaching the 95 per cent target in 2017. The information is contained in the Ministry of Health’s quarterly report ‘Vitals’, which was tabled by Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton in Parliament recently. The report said it was the first time since MMR was introduced to the...