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The male ward at the Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth has been remodelled at a cost of $1.5 million, with the contribution of the Friends of the Black River Hospital. At an opening ceremony on Thursday May 21, President of the group, Eleanor Evans, said they were able to accomplish the project through co-operation from members and donors. "We...

The Registrar General's Department (RGD) is moving to introduce online bedside registration in hospitals and clinics soon, to facilitate real time registration of births in these facilities, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Patricia Holness, has said. Speaking with JIS News, Dr. Holness noted that while regular bedside registration has facilitated 100 percent recording of all births in hospitals and clinics,...

Chairman of the Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches, Bishop Rohan Edwards, has said that since the implementation of the Government's free health care policy, the number of persons seeking financial assistance from the church for medical care has declined. In an interview with JIS News, Bishop Edwards said that the free health care policy has helped "because some people,...

Scores of students of the Port Antonio Infant School in Portland were immunised at a health fair organised by the institution's Guidance and Counselling Unit in collaboration with the Portland Health Department. At the fair, held on the school grounds on May 14, parents also benefitted from health checks including blood sugar and blood pressure tests. Speaking to JIS News,...

Over the next five years, the Registrar General's Department (RGD) will be moving to boost its database capacity, in order to facilitate easier and ready access to records by persons using the agency's services, said Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Patricia Holness. Speaking at Tuesday's (May 19) weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew held at the Pegasus Hotel...

The Registrar General's Department (RGD) will be introducing a cyber vendexing facility by July this year, which will better enable Jamaicans in remote communities, and those overseas, to access its services. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RGD, Dr. Patricia Holness, who made the announcement while addressing the weekly luncheon of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew at the Jamaica...

Several Jamalco volunteers participated in pre-Labour Day activities at the Lionel Town Hospital in Clarendon, on Friday(May 15). The day was largely dedicated to the painting of the main walkway connecting the administrative block and outpatient departments to the wards. Community Relations Officer for the Clarendon-based bauxite company, Phillip Biggs, said that only a third of the work has already...

The St. Ann's Bay Hospital in St. Ann is to receive a face-lift on Labour Day, Monday, May 25. This is one of four national projects that will receive special attention on that day. The others are located in Clarendon, St. James and St. Catherine. The hospital's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ian Jarrett, told JIS News that the focus on...

As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, Courts Jamaica Limited has partnered with the Bustamante Hospital for Children to perform fifty (50) surgeries on children who need open heart surgery. Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer said that this partnership demonstrates the understanding of the needs in the health sector and a commitment towards improving the health of our nation's...

Chronic diseases are the greatest burden on healthcare in Jamaica, with over 60 per cent of admissions to hospitals across the island related to these conditions, said Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Fund (NHF), Hugh Lawson. He said that apart from affecting one's ability to work and be productive, chronic diseases impact on family income and increases poverty....

The Scotiabank National Primary Schools HIV and AIDS debate competition is helping students to develop greater sensitivity and empathy for persons affected by the disease, said Relief Manager at the bank's Mandeville branch, Janet Billings-Frith. She was addressing the semi-finals of the competition held on May 13 at the Manchester Club in Mandeville. "By targeting primary school children, we have...

The Ministry of Health is advising that arriving passengers from countries, which have reported cases of Influenza A (H1N1) will be provided with health alert cards, interviewed, and samples taken from them if necessary. This is part of the Ministry's heightened surveillance and monitoring system. The MOH is still not recommending travel restrictions and will follow the guidelines of the...