The Ministry of Health is appealing for persons to cooperate with interviewers, who will be in the field gathering data from September 1 to December 31, for the third Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey (JHLS III). The JHLS III is a community-based study of persons 15 years and older to determine current dietary intakes, lifestyle and behaviour patterns that have...

In light of the recent Chikungunya and Zik V outbreaks in Jamaica, the country is now on the lookout for other vector borne illnesses. This week Healthline takes a closer look at another illness carried by the Aedes Aegypti Mosquito Yellow Fever.

The Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, in collaboration with the National Works Agency (NWA), is actively exploring the use of new technology for road rehabilitation. State Minister for Works in the Ministry, Hon. Everald Warmington, said the new technology incorporates the use of “crumb rubber” in making asphalt for roads. Making his contribution to the 2016/17 Sectoral Debate...

Two New Mosquito Management Solutions are available on the local market to control the spread of Dengue and the Chikungunya and Zika Viruses.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, joined hands with volunteers in Gregory Park and Washington Mews in Portmore who took part in activities for the National Labour Day project in the communities. Accompanied by Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Hon. Christopher Tufton; Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie; and Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment...

In a world of shrinking borders and the rapid movement of people between countries, it is easy for infectious diseases to take hold and to spread. As such, policymakers are finding that they have to utilize all the available  resources at their disposal to prevent the transmission, across borders,  of communicable, debilitating and in some cases, fatal diseases such as...

Loud cheers and applause filled the room at the Medallion Hall in Kingston, as St. Alban’s Primary and Port Morant Primary schools emerged respective winners of the Ministry of Health’s Zika Public Education and Awareness Selfie and Jingle competitions. Prior to the announcement of the victors, students and teachers from approximately 24 of the island’s primary and secondary schools waited with...

The Government has allocated $6.8 million to a project to strengthen the country’s national surveillance systems and establish an institutional coordination mechanism to respond to vector borne diseases as well as prepare for the threat of the Ebola virus. This is contained in the 2016/17 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives on April 14 by Minister of...

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, is encouraging persons to remain alert and prepared for what he describes as the inevitable onset of other new and re-emerging vector-borne diseases. His statement comes against the background of the Chikungunya and Zika virus outbreaks in Jamaica in 2014 and this year, as also the re-emergence of Dengue Fever during the period....

The Ministry of Health has received a $100,000 donation from Fontana Pharmacy to assist in the fight against the Zika virus. Representatives of the entity handed over the cheque during a ceremony held Tuesday (April 5) at the Ministry of Health’s offices on Grenada Way, New Kingston. In his remarks at the short ceremony, Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher...

Jamaica is equipped to conduct Zika virus testing on behalf of other countries if so assigned by the World Health Organization (WHO). Acting Director of the National Virology Reference Laboratory at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Professor Monica Smikle, told JIS News that the facility is a valid WHO testing agency. Members of staff have also benefited...

The Ministry of Health is advising the public that the next clean-up day for ‘Operation Mosquito Search and Destroy’, will be April 9, in Mandeville, Manchester. It was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 2. Mandeville is the next stop in the series of clean-up days across the island, being undertaken to rid major cities and towns of breeding sites for...