Jamaica’s ability to tap into the medical tourism sector has been significantly boosted under a multi-lateral arrangement signed recently between the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) and the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation. Through this agreement, JANAAC’s signatory scope with the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) will be extended to include Medical Laboratory Accreditation to the International Standardization Organization (ISO) 15189...

Employers are being urged to make use of the physical activity guide/tool kit developed by the Ministry of Health to promote healthy lifestyle practices among workers and combat some of the health issues facing Jamaicans. Launched in March, the guide contains useful information sheets and forms to be filled out that will help persons assess their own health status. “The...

Several groups in the health sector are hailing the National Health Fund (NHF), for copping the top award in the 2015 Public Sector Customer Service Competition (PSCSC). At the awards ceremony held recently in Kingston, the agency walked away with the coveted Prime Minister’s trophy for being the Best Customer Service Entity – Multiple Locations. The NHF also received the...

The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) is calling on communities to take control of the selling of alcohol to underage children. Client Services Director of the NCDA, Collette Browne, told JIS News that the agency has identified community events as potential sources for the supply of alcohol to young persons below the legal drinking age. She said events such...

The Ministry of Health and the Regional Health Authorities are enhancing their mosquito control activities across all Parishes to tackle the increase in the mosquito population. Focus will also be placed on schools at this time. Persons may contact the health department in their parish to report any area that they believe may need to be fogged. The Ministry is...

A sexual and reproductive health information programme, to teach parents how to talk to their children about sex, is among several strategies proposed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in addressing adolescent pregnancy. The strategy is one of five elements outlined in a CARICOM/UNFPA Integrated Strategic Framework, aimed at reducing the number of adolescent pregnancies in each country of...

Minister of Health, Dr. Fenton Ferguson has pointed to a number of initiatives put in place as part of the Ministry’s commitment to continuing the thrust towards further strengthening the National Public Health Laboratory. Dr. Ferguson was speaking recently during a laboratory policy meeting which aimed to begin the process of developing a national policy to inform and guide the...