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Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Carol Palmer (left), addresses the recent launch of a standard operating procedures (SOP) manual on human trafficking for healthcare workers. She is joined by Director, Organised Crime and Defence Unit in the Ministry of National Security, Captain Steve Bachelor.

Health Workers Can Help Fight Human Trafficking

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Carol Palmer, is urging healthcare professionals to be vigilant when administering care, as they are well-positioned to identify and assist victims of human trafficking. She said it is incumbent on them, as front-line...

Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (right), holds a canister of sugar during discussion with Executive Director, Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ), Deborah Chen, about the nutritional content of sugar-sweetened beverages. Occasion was an obesity-prevention programme stakeholder meeting at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston on January 16. The session was hosted by the HFJ under its Global Health Advocacy Project.

Jamaicans Urged to Make Healthier Food Choices

Executive Director of the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, Deborah Chen.

Heart Foundation Targets 2,000 Participants for 5k Run

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (second right), displays a symbolic cheque that was handed to him by Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki (right), at the signing of a grant agreement for the procurement of an ultrasound machine for the Spanish Town Hospital, at the New Kingston offices of the Health Ministry on January 15. Others (from left) are Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the St. Catherine-based hospital, Dwayne Francis; and Parish Manager of the St. Catherine Health Services, Beverley Needham.

Spanish Town Hospital to Be Upgraded

Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (JIS File Photo).

Obesity Can Erode Health and Economic Gains – Dr. Tufton

Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Fund (NHF), Everton Anderson.

8 years ago Health & Wellness

Over 248,000 NHF Cardholders Accessed Benefits in 2017

More than 248,000 Jamaicans accessed benefits using their National Health Fund (NHF) cards at participating pharmacies across the island in 2017. Chief Executive Officer at the NHF, Everton Anderson, said that approximately 4.11 million claims were submitted in comparison to 4.10 million by over 239,000 individuals in 2016. “Arising from these claims, NHF spent just over $4.3 billion in subsidy...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Sancia Bennett Templer. (FILE)

8 years ago Health & Wellness

Health Ministry Moving Towards Electronic Storage of Patients’ Records

The Ministry of Health will be moving towards the electronic storage of patients’ health records this year. This was disclosed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Sancia Bennett Templer, at the recent launch of the trafficking in persons Standard Operating Procedures for health officials at the Ministry of Justice on Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew. She was responding to a...

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (right), views mosquito larvae under a microscope during a tour of the Mosquito Control and Research Unit (MCRU) Insectary at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus, which was officially opened on Tuesday (January 9). Others (from left) are: Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Jamaica, Eric Khant; Chief Medical Officer in the Health Ministry, Dr. Winston De La Haye; UWI Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Mona campus Principal, Professor Archibald McDonald; and MCRU Head, Dr. Marcia Mundle.

8 years ago Health & Wellness

Mosquito Control Programme Strengthened

The country’s vector management programme has been strengthened with the opening of the Mosquito Control and Research Unit (MCRU) Insectary at the University of West Indies (UWI) Mona campus in St. Andrew. A joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and UWI through support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the facility will provide for entomological study...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Sancia Bennett Templer (left), addresses the launch of a manual with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for health officials to deal with victims of human trafficking at the Ministry of Justice, Constant Spring Road in St. Andrew on January 8. Others (from second left ) are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Carole Palmer, and Director, Organised Crime and Defence Unit in the Ministry of National Security, Captain Steve Bachelor.

8 years ago Health & Wellness

Training for Healthcare Workers to Deal with Human-Trafficking Victims

Five hundred healthcare workers in the public and private sectors will be trained this year to enable them to better identify and treat with victims of human trafficking. This was disclosed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Sancia Bennett Templer, at the launch of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for health officials to deal with victims of human...

Regional Director for the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), Maureen Golding hands over keys for an ambulance to Chairman of the Princess Margaret Hospital, Michael McLeod, during a ceremony on January 3 at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston. At right is Chief Executive Officer for the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Anthony Wood.

8 years ago Health & WellnessYouth

Princess Margaret Hospital Gets Ambulance

Two ambulances, valued at $15.8 million, have been handed over to the Princess Margaret Hospital in St. Thomas and the Kingston and St. Andrew Health Services to cover the Bustamante Hospital for Children, National Chest Hospital, Hope Institute and the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre. The ambulances were presented by the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) at a ceremony...

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (left), is presented with a copy of the Cost of Care and Data Mapping Project Report by Chairperson of the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), Dr. Elizabeth Ward, following the document’s launch at the University of the West Indies (UWI) regional headquarters in Mona, St. Andrew. The document was prepared by the VPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, University Hospital of the West Indies, Mona GeoInformatics Institute, JN Foundation and the UWI. Sharing the moment (from third left) are: Consultant Anaesthetist, UHWI, Dr. Jason Toppin; Deputy Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences, UWI, Professor Trevor McCartney; and Director, Mona GeoInformatics Institute, Dr. Parris Lyew-Ayee, Jr.

8 years ago Health & Wellness

Professor Calls for Trauma Units in Hospitals

Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Trevor McCartney, has called for the establishment of Type B Trauma Units in public hospitals. He says this is very necessary to deal with the proliferation of injuries resulting from violence and road traffic crashes, and the associated costs to deal with victims....

Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Agency-Drug Testing Laboratory (CARPHA-DTL), Dr C. James Hospedales (second right) displays the certificate of accreditation presented by Chairman of the Accreditation Council of the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), Simon Roberts (centre), during a ceremony held recently at CARPHA’S Hope Gardens offices in St. Andrew. Others (from left) are former Head of Department at CARPHA, Dr. Lucette Cargill; Technical Officer for Accreditation, CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), Stephen Farquharson; and Acting Head of CARPHA, Sonia Thomas Gordon.

8 years ago Health & Wellness

CARPHA Certified as First Pharmaceutical Lab in Jamaica

The Caribbean Public Health Agency-Drug Testing Laboratory in Jamaica (CARPHA-DTL) has been certified by the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), as the first pharmaceutical laboratory in the island. Accreditation of CARPHA for laboratory testing and calibration techniques is in compliance with the ISO 17025 standard, and marks a significant endorsement of the agency’s capabilities to test the quality of...