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Jamaica's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sheila Campbell-Forester, is optimistic that Jamaica will achieve Millennium Development Goal (MDG) five, which aims to reduce the country's maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by 75 per cent by 2015. To achieve the target, the country will need to reduce its current MMR from 95 deaths per 100,000 live births to 25 deaths per 100,000 live...

With no confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in the parish of Hanover, the Hanover Health Department in collaboration with the Disaster Preparedness Committee on Tuesday (June 30) held an education and awareness seminar for committee members. Member of the Hanover/Westmoreland Health Education and Promotion team, Marie James, assisted by Chief Public Health Inspector for the parish, Derrick Storer, delivered...

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Senator Aundre Franklin, is travelling to Mexico this week to participate in a high level meeting on 'Learned Lessons from Influenza A (H1N1)'. The invitation was extended by the Government of Mexico, in an effort to share information about the country's experience with handling the outbreak of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, which...

The Ministry of Health has not at this time placed any restriction on public gatherings. Members of the public will however be notified if the situation changes, as the confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1) are expected to increase. The Ministry indicated last week that there is now local transmission of the virus and this was expected. Dr. Sheila Campbell...

In response to the shortage of health technicians, which currently exists, the Government will be moving swiftly to beef up the sector with the introduction of a training programme, which will see some 40 dialysis and nurse technicians being trained this September. This announcement was made by Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, at the recent launch of the 'Friends...

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sheila Campbell Forrester, says the Ministry of Health's surveillance system has been on alert for respiratory illnesses for a number of years. She says the system has been heightened with the introduction of the new Influenza A(H1N1) virus and the Ministry has the experience and the capabilities to detect and treat cases early, through this heightened...

A commitment has been made to review customer service practices at the May Pen Hospital, Clarendon, after concerns were raised by Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, about how patients were being treated. Minister Spencer called a meeting with the staff and administrators at the hospital yesterday (Friday, June 26, 2009) and told the group that he had received a...

Ten Caribbean obstetricians and gynaecologists received training in the diagnosis of pre-cancerous and cancerous legions in women, through a colposcopy course at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, Kingston, this week. Colposcopy is a way of looking at the cervix through a special magnifying device called a colposcope, which shines a light on the vagina and the...

The number of Influenza A (H1N1) cases in the island now stands at 21, after two more persons were confirmed with the virus in Kingston and St. Catherine. The Ministry of Health has informed that the infected person in St. Catherine had travelled recently and may have contracted the virus overseas. However, it is still carrying out investigations in relation...

Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, has said that global occurrences, such as the spread of the Influenza A H1N1 and the current recession, are "threatening health gains and undermining future investments in health." The Minister was speaking on June 25 at the Ministry's first national performance review for 2009/2010, at the Hilton Kingston Hotel. The review is one of...

Many people owe their lives to some persons they know and some they will never meet, who have donated that precious gift of blood to save other people's lives. This is the story of well-known Constabulary Communications Network's (CCN) Liaison Officer for St. James, Corporal Peter Salkey, who was shot by thugs and left to die. On the night of...

The Government is to set up a multi-sectoral committee, to handle all issues related to the outbreak of the H1N1 virus in the island. The committee will comprise the Chief Technical Officers in the Ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture and Fisheries, Tourism, and Information. Making the announcement at Wednesday (June 24) the post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Minister without...