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...

The Ministry of Health and the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) have signed a letter of intent to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Patel Foundation for Global Understanding, to expand the services provided at the Alexandria Community Hospital, in St. Ann. The project would involve expansion of the maternity, pharmacy and dental services, in the first...

Minister of Health, Dr. Fenton Ferguson called an emergency meeting this morning (Saturday, October 17, 2015) with a team from the University Hospital of the West Indies, the Ministry of Health and the South East Regional Health Authority to review the current situation regarding an infection affecting some newborns at the UHWI. The meeting took place at the UHWI’s Board...

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...