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Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sheila Campbell-Forrester, has said that Jamaica could save up to $2.8 billion from the medical costs for treating chronic non-communicable diseases, from pursuing healthier lifestyles. Speaking at a faith-based organisations workshop, jointly staged by the Ministry and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), at the Jamaica Pegasus...

Pastor of the East Queen Street Baptist Church, in Kingston, Reverend Dr. Roy Henry, has emphasised the role which churches and other faith-based organisations can play in the reduction and prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases and illnesses in the country. Addressing a faith-based organisations chronic disease forum, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organisation...

Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for St. Catherine, Dr. Francisca Prosper-Chen, has raised the importance of parents and schools recognising the value of immunisation. "It is important that we stress at this time that your child must be fully immunised for school. And for school officials to understand that, if children are admitted who are not fully immunised, we will...

As of February next year, Jamaicans should have increased access to drugs, under the free health care programme, when the Government of Jamaica Health Card comes fully into effect. The card was launched Thursday (August 20) at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston. It will enable Jamaicans to more easily access drugs on the Vital, Essential and Necessary (VEN) list...

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has donated $2.2 million towards a breastfeeding pilot project in St. Catherine and Clarendon. At the handing over ceremony, held on August 14 at the Clarendon Health Department, Chairman of the Exclusive Breastfeeding Pilot Project Steering Committee, Michelle Coore-Brown, gave an overview of the project, emphasising that it seeks to have mothers making the...

Users of the Brown's Town Health Centre, in St. Ann, are expected to benefit from the comfort of the Lesma Johnston pre and post natal care wing, which is the latest addition to the facility. Rehabilitation work was recently carried out at the centre to add the new wing, at a cost of more than $3 million. The facility was...

Registration for the new Government of Jamaica (GoJ) health card will begin on September 1 for the roll-out of the programme by October 1. Health Minister, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, made the announcement on Thursday (Aug.13) at the official opening of the Lesma Johnston prenatal and post natal care wing at the Brown's Town Health Centre in St. Ann. The health...

Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Harvey Reid, is encouraging the expansion of the farming of Jamaican lemon grass. Professor Reid told JIS News that local and overseas markets are open for the by-products. "Almost every farmer has lemon grass growing on their farms or in their back...

"It has been my passion since I was a child," Nurse Mignott, calmly, explains her chosen career path. Thirty-year-old Andrea Mignott, who has been working with this passion for the past six years, was awarded Nurse of the Year at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) for Clinical Excellence in 2009. A graduate of the University Hospital of...

The Bustamante Hospital for Children, Kingston, has erected a shrine in honour of Lady Gladys Bustamante, widow of National Hero, The Rt. Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante, who died on July 25. Administrator at the Hospital, Henry Anglin noted that the shrine was erected shortly after the hospital heard of Lady Bustamante's passing. "Lady Bustamante was the patron of the hospital,...

Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, says a review of security arrangements at the Princess Margaret Hospital in St. Thomas, is being undertaken following the invasion of the facility by gunmen early Friday morning (July 31). The Minister visited the Hospital Friday, and met with staff and patients who were present during the incident, as well as the management of...

Retired and current employees of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), who have contributed significantly to the advancement of health care in the region, were honoured at the Hilton Kingston Hotel on Thursday (July 30). Of the 125 persons honoured at the function, 97 have retired as of 2008, while 28 are existing staff members. Speaking at the luncheon,...