Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, says that Jamaica is in the midst of a war on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which he says, account for over 70 per cent of preventable premature deaths. He noted that the high prevalence of these chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancers, have implications for the long-term progress of the...

The New Jersey-based Help Jamaica Medical Mission (JaMM) will be staging its annual black tie event this Saturday, November 9, aimed at raising funds for its yearly medical mission to Jamaica next September. Jamaica’s Consul General to New York, Herman Lamont, will deliver the keynote address at the event, which is slated for the Rich Field Regency in Verona, New...

Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, will head a list of eight distinguished persons to be recognized by the Caribbean American Outreach Association (CAOA), at its annual awards dinner, to be held at the JFK Hilton Hotel in Queens, New York, on Saturday, November 9. These persons will be honoured for their contribution in the areas of public service, professional...

The recently completed rehabilitation of the Annotto Bay Hospital in St. Mary, done at over $90 million, represents one of the most significant displays of public/private sector collaboration on a major project undertaken in Jamaica. The work was to repair damage to the institution’s infrastructure, which was sustained during the passage of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The project was...

The Princess Margaret Hospital in St. Thomas now boasts a state-of-the-art digital X-ray unit, which will increase its capacity to provide quick and efficient diagnostic services. The XR 6000 digital X-ray unit, which was purchased at a cost of $12.6 million through funding by the National Health Fund (NHF), was officially commissioned into service on Thursday, October 31, during a...

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, says there has been a 20 per cent reduction in asthmatic admissions to hospitals since the imposition of the no smoking policy in specified public spaces. The ban was imposed on July 15, with the implementation of the Public Health (Tobacco Control) Regulations 2013. The regulations’ are consistent with the Government’s 2013/14 strategic...

The Government of Jamaica’s many interventions in support of the country’s adolescent mothers have come in for high praise from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Deputy Director of the UNFPA’s Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean, Siti Oussein, has commended the Government for assisting pregnant girls with continuing their education, through the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation’s (WCJF) Programme for...