The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), an entity under the Ministry of Health & Wellness (MOHW), is responsible for the safe collection and storage of blood for transfusion purposes. The NBTS aims to supply at least 75% of all blood that is requested. In April 2020, it supplied 55% of all blood requests made by hospitals, with people aged 20...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) is finalising its Living with COVID-19 Plan to help Jamaicans adjust to ‘the new normal’. The Plan is based on three strategic goals. These are: • Protecting Jamaicans from harmful health outcomes. • Encouraging productive engagement of individuals within the society. • Creating an environment where citizens can participate in meaningful social activities...

The Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam (CAPE) examinations will begin July 13 and end August 04, 2020. Some 58,720 students have registered to sit the CSEC examinations and 16,184 are registered to sit the CAPE. Results are expected to be released by the third week of September 2020. The Ministry of Education, Youth and...

The Data Protection Bill was passed in The House of Representatives on May 19, 2020. The Bill seeks to safeguard the privacy of individuals, by securing certain classes of personal data in the hands of public and private entities (data controllers). These include: • genetic or biometric information • racial or ethnic origin • personal life • physical or mental...

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the main psychological impacts of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, are stress and anxiety. These behaviours come as a result of the fear of contracting the virus, economic uncertainty and the lack of physical contact for an extended period. Other psychological issues include loneliness and depression. Harmful alcohol and/or drug use, suicide and other...

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronaviruses (CoV) are a family of viruses known to cause respiratory illnesses ranging in severity from the common cold to Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. The virus can be transmitted from...

For the past two years, a team from Bodles and RADA has been conducting a monthly on farm based assessment in seven high risk extension areas in South Manchester and St. Elizabeth. Using a risk assessment tool developed by the team of researchers at Bodles with support from extension officers at RADA, field conditions are assessed and the risk calculated...