Alcohol continues to be the most widely used drug in Jamaica, with 40 per cent of the population or four out of every 10 people reporting that they currently use the substance. This is according to the most recent Household Drug Survey conducted by the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA). Seventy-five per cent of the population said that they...

There were a lot of happy faces and expressions of gratitude at the Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth on November 25, where 20 wheelchairs were presented to the management and staff at the facility. The donation was made possible through collaboration between Chairman of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association’s (JHTA) South Coast Chapter, Jason Henzell and Tankweld Metals....

The Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA), the Health Education and Promotion Officers, and the Matrons and Assistant Matrons in Infirmaries are the latest public-sector groups to sign the Heads of Agreement for the 2015/17 contract period. The associations signed during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service on Thursday, November 24. State Minister, Hon. Rudyard...

The Government is implementing a policy to ease the long wait at public pharmacies by contracting private entities for the dispensing of drugs to persons who obtain prescriptions from State-run facilities. Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said starting next month, the National Health Fund (NHF), will be engaging private pharmacies, through a pilot project, where a person,...

Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, is appealing for pregnant women to visit health centres for the necessary prenatal checks in order to ensure a safe delivery. He noted that there are expectant mothers who are going through nine months of pregnancy, and only turn up at the hospital when they are ready to give birth. He said...

Come January, the Ministry of Health will be incorporating two key World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in the National HIV/AIDS Programme. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Winston De La Haye, made the disclosure as he addressed the Ministry’s 26th Annual Review and Planning Retreat at the Hilton Rose Hall Hotel in St. James on November 16. The first is the ‘Test...

Chairman of the North East Region Health Authority (NERHA), Tyrone Robinson, has commended the staff and management of the St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital for providing first-class healthcare to patients. “Oftentimes, without fanfare, they go beyond the call of duty to ensure quality service to our patients and (by) showing the kind of professionalism that now makes St. Ann’s Bay...