The Jamaica Moves in School (JMIS) initiative has been revitalised in schools across Western parishes, thanks to the effort of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA). The programme, spearheaded by the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), seeks to combat health ignorance among the youth by promoting active lifestyles and healthy habits within schools. It entails three five-minute breaks complemented...

The waiting time for patients at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon has decreased significantly since the implementation of the multibillion-dollar Electronic Health Records (EHR) System, four months ago at the facility. The EHR system is being implemented as part of the Health Systems Strengthening Programme, for which Jamaica has received a loan of US$50 million from the Inter-American Development...

Students in training and front-line professionals who work with children deemed at risk are being empowered to better offer care and support to those in their charge. Through the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) Peace, Resiliency and Wellness (PRW) training course, persons are being equipped to cater to their own well-being and, in turn, address the needs of the vulnerable youngsters....

Antibiotics, also known as antimicrobials, are an important part of modern medicine, and the use of the drugs saves lives, preventing millions of people from dying of bacterial infections. However, the misuse of antimicrobials, through overprescription, or persons not using them as prescribed, has seen a rise in antibiotic resistance globally. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognises antibiotic...

New research has yielded promising results for more effective treatment and management options for patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes. The study, titled ‘Combined Supplementation of S-Nitro glutathione and Glutathione Improves Glycaemic Control in type 2 Diabetic Rats’, was led by master’s graduate from the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus, Amarley...

After a blocked artery almost caused her premature death, heart disease survivor Lorna Morgan is encouraging other women to be aware of their risks and to not ignore symptoms. The 75-year-old Montego Bay resident, who was diagnosed in November 2023, tells JIS News that she had been having chest pains for some time, which she largely ignored. “I wasn’t doing...

Two civil society organisations (CSOs), Children First and the Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD), have been engaged under the Social Justice (SO-JUST) Project to provide access to justice services for the society’s most vulnerable. The aim is to facilitate these provisions for persons with hearing impairments and children in contact and conflict with the law. Implemented by the United...

In 2016, Robert Robinson, Transport Fleet Manager for the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), got the brilliant idea to retrofit new buses into ambulances, as there was a shortage in the region, and today it is paying dividends. “We were short on vehicles, the work load was too much for the number of units we had, so it was proposed...

Registered Nurse, Shertonia Walker, is intent on positively impacting lives and creating employment opportunities within the healthcare sector through entrepreneurship. After completing her undergraduate studies at the Northern Caribbean University in 2021, the 25-year-old started C.A.R.E Nursing Services and More, a healthcare practice aimed at providing flexible and affordable access to medical services for Jamaicans. The St. Thomas native tells...