The Ministry of Health and Wellness’ programme to ensure more timely access to healthcare for Jamaicans is progressing well with an overall 40 per cent increase in patient visits to targeted health centres. Concomitant with this is a decrease in waiting time at hospital emergency rooms, Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry, Dr. Jacqueline Bisasor-McKenzie, tells JIS News The ‘Reducing...

Outgoing Jamaica House Fellow, Dr. Karelle Samuda, believes that the Jamaica House Fellowship Programme is suited for young people in the diaspora, where they will be able to contribute to the country’s development. Dr. Samuda returned to Jamaica from the United States in March of 2017, and served in the Fellowship Programme for two years. “I felt honoured being given...

Contributors to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) are paying a marginal increase, in the effort to sustain the National Insurance Fund (NIF). In an interview with JIS News, Director of the NIS, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Portia Magnus, says the finding from an actuarial review in March 2013, revealed that if changes were not made urgently to address...

The Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) Social Intervention Committee is reporting that infrastructure upgrading in Mount Salem, St. James, is advanced. Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Omar Sweeney, tells JIS News that 70 per cent of work under the build phase of the operation has been completed to date. “The drainage system, the road improvement, the zinc fence removal [and]...

The Gender Ambassadors Programme (GAP), launched recently as a pilot, is seeking to achieve mindset changes against antisocial attitudes, promote equality and encourage females to enter non-traditional careers. The programme, which is a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, facilitates the raising of awareness and activism on gender...

The Ministry of Health is appealing for more Jamaicans to get tested for diabetes, which currently affects over 236,200 citizens. Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Injuries Prevention, Dr. Tamu Davidson, says a 2016/17 Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey shows that four out of 10 persons with diabetes were unaware that they had...

Participants of the 2017/19 Jamaica House Fellowship Programme (JHFP) are encouraging highly motivated young professionals to submit their application for this year. The lives of Mark Tracey, Karelle Samuda and Lavois Cruickshank have been changed after serving as Jamaica House Fellows. The trio, along with five others were officially pinned as the first cohort of fellows by Prime Minister, the...

The Government is working to achieve 100 per cent access to safe drinking water for all Jamaicans by 2030, while ensuring the sustainability of future supplies. The objective is in keeping with the National Development Plan, which aims to make Jamaica the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business. Programme Director, Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat, Elizabeth...

The Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, continues to distinguish itself as the leading hub in the Caribbean for hosting local and international conferences and first-class meetings. The nine-time World Travel Awards winning facility has been bringing in equitable gains to St. James and the wider economy, hosting over 100 local, international and regional events over the past few...