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KINGSTON — The tobacco control bill, which seeks to combat the use and consequences of tobacco products, will soon be put before Parliament. “I expect, within three weeks, to have the matter placed before the Parliament and we would have had the framework tobacco legislation in place. The Chief Parliamentary Council is making the final amendments to the documents after...

MANDEVILLE — With the reopening of the refurbished Milk River Health Centre, Clarendon, over 15,000 residents will able to access health care, without having to travel long distances. Speaking on Thursday, at the official opening of the centre, after a $9 million refurbishing job financed by the National Health Fund (NHF), Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, said that well...

KINGSTON — Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says Jamaica will have to “ramp up” its marketing strategies, and venture into new markets, to obtain sustained tourism growth.  “We recognise that growth cannot happen for Jamaica unless we go into new markets, and its part of the wider strategy that I have been enunciating about the way forward – new...

MONTEGO BAY — Development Specialist and Food and Nutrition Consultant, Dr. Heather Little-White, has called for a National Nutrition Policy, to ensure a food and nutrition safety net, and advance capacity development at the household level, and economic livelihood at the community level. She made the call as she addressed participants in the first graduation ceremony for some 30 persons...

KINGSTON — The Government is in the process of acquiring new radioactive elements, valued at more than $42.7 million, for the treatment of patients with cancer and other radiosensitive diseases. The radioactive elements will be installed in Cobalt machines at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) and Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH). Health Minister, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, said the installation of the...

PORT ANTONIO — The topic of laparoscopic surgery was extensively discussed at the seventh Laparoscopic Seminar, held at the Robins Bay Hotel in St. Mary, on May 29. Laparoscopic surgery is a modern surgical technique in which operations in the abdomen are performed through small incisions, as compared to the larger incisions needed in other surgeries. Hosted by the Annotto...

KINGSTON — Health Minister, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, says the Ministry is exploring the possibility of making amendments to the Public Health Act and relevant regulations to address stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS.  He said that while the intention is for HIV and AIDS to remain “notifiable diseases”, meaning that cases of infection must be reported to the relevant Government...

MANDEVILLE — The Mandeville Regional Hospital, in Manchester, should see annual energy savings of $2.2 million, as a result of a steam system energy efficiency improvement project, and rehabilitation of its solar water heating system, done by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ). The steam system project will result in a reduction in fuel consumption by some 20,583 litres of...

KINGSTON — There has been a 31 per cent decline in the number of paediatric AIDS deaths since 2006, Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, has informed. The reduction, he said, is significant, and is due to the increased access to treatment by HIV-infected children and mothers. “We would like to see an even more significant reduction in the number...

KINGSTON — National Poison Prevention Week 2011 will be observed May 22-28 under the theme, “Poison Prevention, Everybody’s Business”. Poison Information Coordinator, at the Caribbean Poison Information Network (CARPIN) Sherika Whitelocke-Ballingsingh told JIS News that based on the recent rise in cases of ackee poisoning; this theme was chosen to highlight the dangers of poisoning and to encourage persons to...

She had all the warning signs: a lifeless arm, slurred speech, loss of co-ordination and a severe headache: Cynthia Morant was having a stroke. “I remember being at home, when I began to lose feelings in my right hand. I also had shortness of breath, so they rushed me to the hospital, where I stayed for about a week,” she...

KINGSTON — The Bustamante Hospital for Children, in Kingston, is expected to save significantly on its energy consumption, while improving security for its users, with the installation of solar security lighting on the grounds. This involved the retrofitting of 19 High Pressure Sodium (HPS) outdoor security lights with more energy efficient 56 watt Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lamps for the driveway...