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Minister of Health and Environment, Rudyard Spencer, has announced the suspension of the Geographical Private Practice Privilege(GPPP) for consultant medical doctors at the National Chest Hospital, in Kingston. This provision allows consultant medical practitioners, engaged in both public and private practice, to utilize the hospital's equipment to administer health care to their private patients, for fees separate from those charged...

A Schools Blood Drive Competition was officially launched yesterday (Feb. 11) at the Ministry of Health and Environment, King Street, downtown Kingston. The competition is aimed at the development of a culture of voluntary blood donation, by promoting the practice among young people, and is open to all schools in Jamaica. The theme is, 'Students Save Lives Too...As Voluntary Blood...

Members of the Health Promotion Team, in the Guidance and Counselling Unit, Ministry of Education, will host their second National Sexuality and Reproductive Health Expo, at the National Arena, in Kingston, on Wednesday, February 11. "The Ministry has once again partnered with some of our non- governmental organizations (NGOs), to host what we call a National Sexuality and Reproductive Health...

The Registrar General's Department (RGD), received 500 applications in its overseas outreach initiatives in the United Kingdom, United States (Florida),Canada and Cuba in 2008. Of the total, about 424, or 85 per cent, have already been dealt with, while other applications are still outstanding for various reasons. Form searches are continuing for 10 applicants, who did not give sufficient information...

Seventy-three grade six students from two primary schools in Portland's Rio Grande Valley, have been presented with health care packages to assist with their nutritional preparation for the GSAT examination. The packages, which contained Habberange Omega 3 capsules and Minadex multi-vitamin syrup, were presented to the students during a ceremony held at the Port Antonio Regional Office of the Ministry...

Jamaicans are being implored to protect the island's wetlands, as the destruction of these ecological systems will adversely affect marine life, and ultimately, the human population. The urging came from Education Outreach Officer with the Natural History Museum of Jamaica, Dr. Shereene James-Williamson, as she addressed a function held yesterday (Feb. 2) at the Kellits Branch Library in Clarendon to...

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Registrar General's Department (RGD), Dr. Patricia Holness, has called for innovation in the public sector, as a way of ensuring accountability. "It is very important that the Public Sector innovates. If we don't innovate, we die. We need to be accountable and in order to be accountable, we need to be innovative," she said....

The Thai Government has donated US$10,000 to the Mustard Seed Communities, which will go towards the welfare of children with HIV/AIDS, and repair buildings at Sophie's Place, which were damaged by Tropical Storm Gustav last year. Thailand's Ambassador to Jamaica, Snanchart Devahastin, yesterday (Jan. 29) handed over the cheque to Father Gregory Ramkissoon, Executive Director and founder of the Mustard...

The Ministry of Health and Environment is committed to working with national and regional nursing bodies for the development of the services provided by the sector. This assurance was given by Portfolio Minister Rudyard Spencer this morning (Jan. 28), at the opening of the 37th joint meeting of the executive, education and practice committees of the regional nursing body, held...

Minister of Health and Environment, Rudyard Spencer, has suggested that policy space should be "freed up," to include the participation of more experts, professionals, and civil society in the health sector. Mr. Spencer emphasised that health is no longer an issue for just health professionals, citing the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Asia, in 2003, which he...

Marge Roper of the Counselling Service, National Family Planning Board, has said that the absence of a patriarchal figure in the home, is contributing immensely to the increasingly risky behaviour of adolescents. Citing research, the Counsellor told JIS News, that while the adolescent years are challenging and often characterised by identity issues, sexual activity is likely to start earlier in...

The Government has increased the 2008/2009 Budget by $18.4 billion, with the bulk of the additional expenditure going to liquidity support for the financial sector, as well as increased salaries for the police, teachers and health personnel. The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service will be lending $13.6 billion to the Development Bank of Jamaica(DBJ), for liquidity support for...