Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (left), exchanges pleasantries with Under Secretary-General and Executive Director, the Joint United Nations Programme for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Winifred Byanyima, during a courtesy call at the Ministry in Kingston on Monday (November 7). Looking on is Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn. Ms. Byanyima, who is on a...

The country’s efforts against HIV/AIDS have been boosted through the opening of a new care facility at the Kingston Public Hospital on Tuesday (October 25). Valued at more than J$9 million, the facility is a donation of three retrofitted 20-foot containers made possible by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through the President’s Emergency Plan for...

State Minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, has hailed the work and partnership of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) in the national HIV/AIDS response. Speaking at the JASL’s public forum held on Tuesday (November 30) at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, the State Minister said that the organisation has provided 30 years...

The National Family Planning Board (NFPB) will be observing World AIDS Day (WAD) on Wednesday, December 1, with an event, titled, ‘Pon di Ground’, at the Maxfield Park Health Centre in St. Andrew, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Speaking at a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’, Director of Enabling Environment and Human Rights at the NFPB,  Devon Gabourel, explained that...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has implemented a raft of measures that are geared towards ending AIDS in Jamaica. Acting Senior Medical Officer (SMO) in the HIV/STI/TB Unit in the Ministry, Dr. Alisha Robb-Allen, outlined the details during a JIS Think Tank on Friday (November 26). She informed that of the 32, 000 persons that are estimated by UNAIDS...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness will be resuming its extended clinic hours for the treatment of persons with HIV as well as to integrate care of the patients to reduce stigma. Acting Director of the Treatment, Care and Support Component of the HIV/STI Unit at the Ministry, Dr. Rebekah Hoilett Duncan, told JIS News that due to the Coronavirus...

State Minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, says Jamaica has initiated several programmes to ensure that persons living with HIV (AIDS) are cared for. Delivering the opening remarks at the Treatment, Care and Support Annual Programme held virtually on Monday (September 20), under the theme “Retention for Optimisation”,  the State Minister said efforts are continuing...

Madam Speaker, I rise to speak to this Honourable House and the people of Jamaica on a day that this globally recognized as World AIDS Day. Today, we remember and salute persons, who would have died and to the many others, who are living with HIV. Madam Speaker, the COVID-19 global pandemic has presented a myriad of challenges to the...

As the world observed World AIDS Day yesterday (December 1), some experts in the field are saying that since COVID-19 surfaced, more persons living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are inquiring about antiretroviral therapy (ART). Executive Director, Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL), Kandasi Levermore, told JIS News that the organisation, which she spearheads, has “seen more interest in...

It gives me much satisfaction to participate in commemorating World AIDS Day 2020 and further to add the City of Kingston’s influence to the initiative to recruit our sister cities in the English-Speaking Caribbean Region to join the global movement to become Fast Track Cities. Kingston remains the only city in the English-Speaking Caribbean to be a part of this...

The National HIV/AIDS Response in Jamaica initiative has been allocated $784 million in the 2020/2021 Budget, now before the House of Representatives. The objective of the project is to reduce AIDS-related deaths by reaching at-risk individuals with support interventions, for the decrease of new HIV infections among targeted groups, through structured programmes. Targets to achieve over the next twelve months...

Two of Jamaica’s staunchest campaigners for the upliftment of persons living with HIV/AIDS are encouraging Jamaicans to join the fight to eliminate stigma and discrimination against persons, who are afflicted with the virus. Joan Stephens, who is a Community Facilitator for the Jamaica Network of Seropositives (JN Plus) South East Division (Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Thomas), has...