A sub-committee, consisting of members of the Jamaican Diaspora in the United Kingdom (UK), will be established to focus on the procurement of medical supplies for Jamaica. Jamaica’s High Commissioner to the UK, Her Excellency Aloun Ndombet-Assamba, told JIS News that the decision to form the committee was taken at a recent meeting held at the High Commission, to discuss...

The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) is seeking to change the mindset of youth toward giving blood, and will include students from various schools islandwide in the activities for World Blood Donor Day, to be observed on June 14. Director of the NBTS, Dr. Angella Scott, said this is being done to diffuse the fear among Jamaicans about donating blood,...

The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) is making an urgent appeal for blood donations to boost depleted supplies. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on Tuesday, June 4, Director of the NBTS, Dr. Angela Scott, said that the service, although not at crisis level, is short of all blood types. “As of yesterday (June 3) all groups were short. We...

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, says the move by the Government to ban smoking in public spaces will not be easy, but is a task that has to be undertaken to protect public health. He was speaking on Monday, June 3, at the Medical Association of Jamaica’s (MAJ) Symposium at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston. The Minister...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Derrick Kellier, has reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to have the proposed Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) tabled this legislative year. Making his contribution to the 2013/14 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 4, the Minister informed that the most recent draft of the legislation was received by the Ministry...

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) has committed to continue its support of the Government's efforts to reduce tobacco use in Jamaica. This assurance comes from PAHO/WHO Representative in Jamaica, Margareta Sköld, who says the organisation stands ready to assist the administration in its quest to, among other things, advance the passage of Tobacco Control Regulations. "PAHO/WHO strongly...

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, is encouraging Jamaica’s international partners to continue supporting the country’s National HIV/STI programme, until it becomes self-sustainable. His call comes against the background of reports that international donors are preparing to withdraw or reduce their assistance for AIDS programmes in several Caribbean countries. This is likely to have an impact on Jamaica, whose...