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Minister of Health, Honourable Dr. Fenton Ferguson, says that over half of Jamaica’s deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries, a situation that is threatening the country’s economic and social development. In explaining the impact of the shift in Jamaica’s morbidity profile, the Health Minister, said these illnesses cost much more to treat, with punishing results for the...

Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the modernization of the National Public Health Laboratory and National Blood Transfusion Service, also known as the Blood Bank. Upwards of $21 million has been spent on both institutions, since December 2011, to undertake significant rehabilitation and upgrading works, which is being funded through a $60 million...

Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, has underscored the importance of safeguarding the nation’s health to enhance productivity. Speaking at a contract signing ceremony for the development of the Santa Cruz Health Centre in St. Elizabeth, held on Tuesday (January 15) at the Percy Junor Hospital in Spaldings, Clarendon, Dr. Ferguson said the connection between a healthy nation and how...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, is appealing to Jamaicans to support the Rainforest Seafood Festival, noting that the event is in aid of a worthy cause. The festival, slated for Ash Wednesday (February 13) at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre in Montego Bay, St. James, is in support of the Cornwall...

Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, says public consultations are being considered to determine whether the government will maintain or revise the existing no-user fee policy at public health institutions islandwide. He made the disclosure while addressing the contract signing ceremony for the upgrading of the Santa Cruz Health Centre in St. Elizabeth, held on Tuesday (January 15) at the...

Work to develop the Santa Cruz Health Centre in St. Elizabeth into one of four Centres of Excellence across the island, is to get underway soon, following Tuesday's (January 15) contract signing for phase one of the project. Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson; representatives of the National Health Fund (NHF), which is financing the project; the Southern Regional Health...

Ground is to be broken for a children’s hospital in western Jamaica, during fiscal year 2013/14. Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, made the announcement on Tuesday (January 15) adding that plans are already underway for the establishment of the institution, which will be located on the grounds of the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James. “It is going...

The Pesticides Control Authority (PCA) is advising Jamaicans to only purchase and use approved mosquito destroyer brands. The authority has approved five brands for use locally. These are: Baygon; Bugoff; Dragon; Protox; and Vape. "These pesticides have been properly evaluated and that is the reason why they have been approved for use in Jamaica," said Head of the PCA, Michael...

The Health Ministry’s vector control programme has received a boost with the addition of 14 new vehicles to its fleet, to assist in further controlling the dengue outbreak, which is now on the decline. Speaking at the handing over of the vehicles by the National Health Fund (NHF), at its Marcus Garvey Drive pharmaceutical division, on Friday (January 11), Health...

The Ministry of Health has responded to reports in the local media about the detection of a malaria case in the island. In a release, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael Coombs pointed out that Jamaica is not in a Malaria outbreak and therefore not on alert for the disease. The country has had no locally transmitted cases of malaria since...

The Ministry of Health has so far purchased twenty eight (28) fogging machines at a cost of J$5,264,000. These are from a total of forty eight (48) fogging machines being procured as part of the Dengue Outbreak Control Programme.  The total budget for the forty eight (48) machines is J$9,024,000.00 or J$188,000.00 each. Each Parish Health Department will benefit from...

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative, Robert Fuderich, has lauded the Ministry of Health for its success in reducing the mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS in Jamaica to less than five per cent over the last 10 years. Speaking at the launch of the National Paediatric AIDS Elimination Initiative, held at the Wyndham Hotel in New Kingston on December...