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The National HIV/STI Programme has unveiled its new HIV anti-stigma campaign, with two HIV-positive Jamaicans coming forward to reveal their HIV status and to participate in the national effort, which aims to end the discrimination associated with the disease. Jason Richards and Mrs. Rosemarie Stone were today (November 24) presented as the new faces of the 'Yes You Can' anti-stigma...

A new health centre is to be constructed in Christiana, Manchester, at a cost of approximately $32 million. Construction is being facilitated by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, with the JSIF providing some $22 million and the CHASE Fund, $10 million. The new centre will be built on the...

With approximately 150,000 persons in Jamaica reportedly living with diabetes, and projections for further increase in incidence of the disease, Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for St. Catherine, Dr. Sandra Knight, is imploring Jamaicans to pursue healthy lifestyle changes to prevent or, effectively, manage the disease. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on Thursday (November 5), to highlight the activities...

The Ministry of Health's tuberculosis (TB) strategic plan is in an advanced stage of development and is expected to be completed by December 2009. Director of Health Promotion and Protection in the Ministry, Dr. Eva Lewis Fuller, explained that the plan "seeks to give focus on the situation regarding TB in Jamaica and it is extended to the various sectors...

The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), yesterday (November 3), launched a surveillance manual, which contains guidelines on the investigation and management of communicable diseases. The launch, held at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, coincided with the opening of a two-day surveillance workshop for health care workers, to help them better...

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Senator Warren Newby, says wellness should be promoted as a policy ideal of the country. While endorsing the Welch's Heart Health Fund Run planned for Sunday (November 29), Senator Newby said that health focussed activities, like the Run, could help to cut the country's expenditure, as a healthy lifestyle can...

The South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) has advised the public that the Rollington Town Health Centre, Giltress Street, Kingston 2, has been closed, temporarily, due to a fatal shooting incident on Monday morning. "The management of the Region took the decision to temporarily close the health centre, because of this tragic incident which has left the staff severely traumatised,"...

Patients visiting the Mandeville Regional Hospital in Manchester will soon benefit from improvement in the services offered at the facility. On a tour of the hospital on Thursday (October 29), Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, informed that work will begin in December, on the construction of a new block at the facility. The project, he said, will increase the...

The Ministry of Health is looking to source cheaper drugs and will report to Cabinet soon on where these drugs are available. "We are looking to buy drugs significantly cheaper than we are buying it now," said portfolio Minister, Hon. Rudyard Spencer. He informed that he was examining a report of "big drug companies abroad and they will give us...

Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, has said that the practise of insured persons accessing treatment at public health facilities, without presenting their insurance details, has to stop. "This business of user fees, a lot a people take us for granted. They come to the hospitals, their unions negotiate insurance for health care for them and all they have to...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, the Hon. Pearnel Charles, is to meet with representatives of the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) and the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, next week, following the breakdown of wage talks on Thursday (October 29). Mr. Charles told JIS News last night that he would be meeting with the parties to avoid...

Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer says the Health Ministry is putting together a training programme for Public Health Inspectors' Assistants as part of efforts to shore up the human resources in the public health system. The Minister was speaking at the 63rd annual educational conference of the Jamaica Association of Public Health Inspectors yesterday afternoon (Tuesday October 27, 2009)...