Jamaica’s National Emergency Response Team has been activated to coordinate and support the country’s response to the current outbreak of the Chikungunya virus. At the same time the government has allocated an additional $150 million to the Chikungunya response, which includes a massive clean-up campaign aimed at destroying and removing mosquito breeding sites. The information came out of a technical...

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller will lead the charge in her South West St Andrew constituency on Saturday, October 4, 2014, as the national clean-up effort to control the spread of the CHIKV cases and rid communities of mosquito breeding sites continues. Members of the community will be joined by the Prime Minister in the Payne Land Division, along Spanish...

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller this afternoon (October 1) convened a special meeting at Jamaica House to review the threat of the Ebola virus and assess the government’s response to the outbreak of the Chikungunya virus. The Ministry of Health has heightened surveillance at all ports of entry and health facilities. This includes assigning additional staff to screen and assess...

The Ministry of Health is urging mothers to breastfeed their babies exclusively up to the age of six months where possible, particularly in light of current economic conditions. Director of Nutrition in the Ministry, Sharmaine Edwards, speaking at a recent Breastfeeding Week seminar, explained that food security is becoming more of a concern, based on the increase in worldwide hunger...

Training for medical professionals in neonatology, critical care, and anesthesiology will get underway on Monday, September 29, under the Programme for Maternal and Child Health (PROMAC). Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson has disclosed that as of Monday, September 29, 19 Registered Nurses will commence training at the In-Service Education Unit under the PROMAC. He also announced that three...

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson has informed that upon the recommendation of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a proposal for the redesign of the primary health care system is to be brought before Cabinet for approval soon. “This is in an effort to improve health care delivery at the primary level in keeping with the thrust of universal...

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson says the Government is continuing its drive to improve health care delivery at the primary level, with some 45 Registered Nurses presently undergoing training in critical care and midwifery at the University of Technology. He made the announcement in a message read by Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister,...