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KINGSTON — Thousands of civil servants will now be able to access affordable air ambulance evacuation services through the EMED LIFE LINE programme. This has been made possible through an agreement signed on November 11 between the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) and EMED Management, an Emedical Global Jamaica Limited brand. Approved union members throughout Jamaica will be eligible for...

KINGSTON — A full slate of activities is scheduled for this year's observance of Diabetes Week from November 13 to 19 under the theme: 'Diabetes Education and Prevention'. Organised by the Diabetes Association of Jamaica (DAJ) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the observance seeks to increase awareness about the chronic health condition. Executive Director of the DAJ, Owen...

KINGSTON — The National Health Fund (NHF) is reporting an increase in demand for diabetes medication with the Government paying out close to $1 billion in drug subsidy in 2010. "We have looked at our figures and when we look at 2004, we have increased from paying out subsidies of $16 million…and up to 2010 (we paid out) $940 million...

KINGSTON — Reports have indicated that 668 women were raped and 531 suffered from carnal abuse in Jamaica, in 2010. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon Olivia "Babsy" Grange, revealed the figures while addressing Parliamentarians from across the Caribbean, Academics and United Nations representatives at the Caribbean Regional Consultation of Parliamentarians on gender-based violence prevention on Wednesday (November 9)...

KINGSTON — Attorney General, Ransford Braham, says that while Jamaica has embraced an aggressive and consistent anti-doping approach, rapid developments in sports medicine and technology are a threat to those efforts. "The fast pace of these developments have threatened to outpace anti-doping testing regimes," Mr. Braham warned, in an address at the launch of the University of the West Indies...

KINGSTON — Twenty dialysis machines have been donated to three hospitals across the island by the Bridge of Life,out of the United States of America (USA). The hospitals are University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) at Mona, in Kingston; St. Joseph's, in Kingston and Mandeville Regional, in Manchester. The dialysis centres at these three hospitals are managed by Nephrologist,...

KINGSTON — Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon Olivia Grange, is encouraging individuals to engage in healthier lifestyle practices by promoting physical activities. Whilst endorsing Welch’s Heart Health Fund Run planned for Sunday (November 27), Miss Grange noted that a healthy lifestyle can reduce incidences of non-communicable diseases, while assisting in relieving stress and increasing productivity. She was speaking...

MONTEGO BAY — The Savanna-la-Mar Hospital, in Westmoreland, is set to undergo major improvements soon, through the implementation of several projects at the facility. Addressing a fund-raising dinner hosted by Friends of the Savanna-la-Mar Public Hospital, in the town, recently, Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, gave details of the projects to be undertaken. He said that approximately $5 million...

KINGSTON — The mandatory registration of fathers on children's birth certificates has been an outstanding issue since the 1970s, although attempts have been made throughout the years to address the matter, including expanding the provisions for the registration of fathers. These efforts include: the 1976 introduction of a companion measure to the Status of Children Act to expand the categories...

KINGSTON — Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, says with the world population reaching seven billion persons on October 31, equal opportunities must be created for all, in particular Jamaica’s youth and elderly. These are deemed the larger groups in the world, as youth 24 years or younger make up more than half of the world's population, while the ageing...

KINGSTON — Jamaica compares favourably with the rest of the world in improved infant mortality, life expectancy and fertility rates. This was disclosed by Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, in a message read by the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Eva Lewis-Fuller, during the launch of the World Population Report (2011) -‘The World at 7 billion’ - at the Victoria...

MONTEGO BAY — Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, said the programme to rehabilitate health centres across the island is going well. He informed that 48 of the 56 targeted facilities have been upgraded to date with adequate staff put in place. “Importantly, what we have now in those health centres is a doctor, we have a nurse, we have...