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It has taken the Registrar General's Department (RGD) just eight years as an Executive Agency to achieve the coveted Model 'C' designation. This means that the RGD is no longer a call on the country's budget for its daily expenses, as it earns money from its operation to pay its bills. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RGD, Dr. Patricia...

The prevalence of vectors in Jamaica has made mapping the entire island for these organisms a challenging goal for the Vector Control Unit of the Ministry of Health (MOH). However, in its bid to curtail the spread of insect vectors or vector-borne illnesses, the Unit continues to work assiduously to carry out Vector Control activities in communities across the island....

The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS must be addressed in order to stem the spread of the virus, says Winstone Zulu, one of Africa's best known advocates for awareness and action on HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB). He was delivering a public lecture at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus on Thursday April 16. "I fight HIV, but then...

The Ministry of Health and Environment has activated its emergency protocol in light of the threat of industrial action by some 800 doctors in the public health sector. Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry, Dr. Sheila Campbell-Forrester, said that part of the emergency protocol would be to scale down activities in the health sector and focus on emergency care. "The...

The Ministry of Health and Environment is working on reducing the delays being experienced by the public at Government health facilities. This has been confirmed by Senior Medical Officer (SMO) at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), Dr. Patrick Bhoorasingh, who admits that the waiting time is the main area of concern for patients visiting the hospital, since the removal of...

Wayne Blake and Esther Stephenson smile as they watch their infant son sleep in his hospital bed this morning (April 15) at the Bustamante Hospital for Children. Somewhere in the hospital, surgeons are preparing for surgery to mend a hole in the one-year old's heart. But, the parents feel none of the dread that one would expect, at the thought...

Imagine being independent and proud and loving it, then suddenly finding yourself totally dependent on your family for financial support! That sums up the unfortunate life of Errol Brown* over the past three years - a hardworking Jamaican who, in 2006, was hit off his bicycle by a motorcar in a hit-and-run accident and paralysed from the neck down. After...

Jamaica's National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan has been boosted by a $108 million allocation in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. The project, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Health, seeks to assist the Government of Jamaica in curbing the spread of the HIV epidemic; improve treatment, care, and support for persons living with...

The Ministry of Health's efforts to enhance universal access to treatment,care, and preventative measures for persons living with HIV/AIDS, have been boosted by the $576 Million allocated in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure. The project, funded by a grant from the Global Fund, aims to strengthen multi-sector response at the national level, to prevent and address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in...

The Government has earmarked $24 billion for the Health Service Delivery Programme, which is concerned with the provision of a comprehensive range of health services at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels. As contained in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, the programme places emphasis on disease surveillance and control; health promotion; environmental, family and...

Work will continue this fiscal year to increase the access of the youth to quality information, skills and services in order to reduce their risk for HIV infection. This will be done under the Youth Empowerment and Participation Programme, for which a provision of $11 million has been made in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of...

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Registrar General's Department (RGD) Dr. Patricia Holness, says the organisation will be moving aggressively to satisfy its two per cent unsatisfied customers, as it celebrates 10 years as an Executive Agency and 130 years of service to the people of Jamaica. "Our application satisfaction continues to be in the realm of 98 per cent...