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The Ministry of Health is advising persons who are at high risk for complications from Influenza A(H1N1) to pay special attention to their health and visit their healthcare provider immediately if they experience flu-like symptoms. These persons include pregnant women, persons with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, heart disease or any condition that impairs the immune...

Minister of Health, Hon Rudyard Spencer, has proposed several measures to increase immunisation of children, and improve infant and maternal mortality figures, which have not changed significantly in over a decade. At the launch of the Jamaican component of the Global Study on Child Poverty and Disparities, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, on Wednesday (October 21), Mr. Spencer...

Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, has welcomed the publication of the study on Child Poverty and Disparities in Jamaica, saying it provides important information to policy makers and technocrats. Mr. Spencer, who was the guest speaker at the launch of the study at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel yesterday (October 21), said it would help to determine the effectiveness of...

The Government will be acquiring additional antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Cabinet has approved the award of contracts to Hetero Drugs Limited and Matrix Laboratories Limited in the sums of US$529,793 and US$784,823, respectively for the supply of the drugs. Addressing yesterday's (October 21) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of...

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Registrar General's Department (RGD), Dr. Patricia Holness, toured the Victoria Jubilee and Kingston Public hospitals, downtown Kingston, on Friday (October 16), observing the institutions' system of collecting and collating births, deaths and other vital statistics. Dr. Holness noted that Jamaica is developing a Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Manual, in which all components of...

The Ministry of Health said last night that, based on reports it has received, the public hospitals have been operating with their full complement of nursing staff since Thursday (October 15). "This means that normality has been restored at all public health facilities that were affected by high levels of absenteeism of Registered Nurses for the last two days," a...

Minister of Health, the Hon. Rudyard Spencer, has said that his Ministry is prepared to take any action necessary to ensure that the health service remains in a position to provide care for all Jamaicans. "We are prepared to take any necessary action to restore stability to the sector and to ensure that we are in a position to provide...

The Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) last night (October 13) ordered a resumption of normality within the nursing service at all public hospitals, including the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), as of seven o'clock this morning. The Back-to-Work Order issued by the IDT last night read, "The Tribunal hereby orders that such industrial action which has begun in contemplation...

The Vere Technical High School and the Lionel Town Hospital in Clarendon have benefitted from much needed upgrading and repairs, which were carried out by Jamalco as part of its 2009 Month of Service. On Friday (Oct. 9) employees renovated the gymnasium at Vere Technical, transforming it into a dormitory for male athletes, while the maternity ward and main link...

With October being observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Physician and Public Relations Officer of the Jamaica Midlife Society, Dr. Fay Whitbourne, is encouraging women to examine their breasts and report anything unusual to their doctors. "We know that this is breast cancer awareness month and we really want to encourage women to get out there, be more aware, examine...

The St. Mary Health Department is carrying out a public education drive aimed at reducing the incidence of leptospirosis in the parish. Health Educator for the St. Mary Health Department, Mr. Riquel Barclay, told JIS News that the programme involves the distribution of information flyers and the staging of health education sessions on prevention measures. He said that a 'Health...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jean Dixon, has appealed for support from stakeholders for the Government's efforts to improve the status of mentally ill Jamaicans. "We need the assistance from stakeholders in two areas: fostering awareness of the mental well being and tackling stigma, discrimination and inequality; and in empowering and supporting people with mental health problems...