The Ministry of Health and Wellness’ surveillance system is a key element in the country’s fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). National Epidemiologist and head of the National Surveillance Unit, Dr. Karen Webster Kerr, explains that surveillance is an ongoing systematic look at a particular issue, paying attention to what is different or new as observed in a population. “It...

Jamaicans are being encouraged to use the additional time that is being spent at home due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Senior Health Education Officer at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Charmaine Plummer, tells JIS News that regular physical activity, which...

Administrators, teachers and guidance counsellors are benefiting from a Mental Health Literacy Programme which is being implemented by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information with support from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). Chief Education Officer in the Ministry, Dr. Kasan Troupe, tells JIS News that the main goal of the programme is to improve the mental health literacy...

The Administration of Anchovy High School in St. James, has been successfully engaging some 68 per cent of its student population online, through a centralized learning management platform dubbed ‘My School Jamaica’. Principal of the institution, Lavern Stewart, said since the March 13 closure of schools to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID 19) on the island, 1231...

The Little Bay Primary and Infant School in Westmoreland is on a mission to become a self-sufficient institution, as well as further solidify its status as a pillar within the community. The school, through its garden and irrigation system, aims to decrease its operational cost, as well as provide assistance to the surrounding communities. Speaking with JIS News, Principal of...

Seventy-four students of the Mount Pleasant Primary and Infant School in Portland have received care packages from the institution for Child Month, which is being observed in May. Principal of the school, Dian Vidal Briggs, told JIS News that the packages were purchased with donations that overseas Jamaicans and persons in and around the community gave. This was a response...

For more than 24 years, the Justice Training Institute (JTI) has contributed to the training and upskilling of justice sector workers in Jamaica. As the training arm of the Ministry of Justice, the Institute is mandated to design, develop and coordinate training programmes for persons within the justice sector as well as other stakeholders who are not formally part of...

As a youngster, the signature crisp white uniform worn by registered nurses enthralled Stacy-Ann Scott. However, passion and appreciation for the profession got much deeper than aesthetics as she got older. “I have always had a liking for the profession of nursing. Initially, it was just because of the uniform, how these nurses looked. However, I see myself as a...

Several business leaders are underscoring the importance of the Government’s measured approach to facilitating a gradual resumption of economic activities that have been curtailed since March, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. They argue that this is imperative to achieve a balance between the phased full reopening of the economy and preventing the possibility of spurring further potential spikes in...