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JAMAICA: Health Ministry to heighten public education campaign to tackle NCDs

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#Jamaica, November 7, 2017 – Kingston – The Ministry of Health will, over the forthcoming months, be heightening its public education programme on the effects of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as it intensifies efforts to reduce the high incidence of NCDs impacting the populace.

Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says the campaign aims to promote healthier lifestyles while identifying the ill effects of unhealthy living.   This, he added, resulting from the consumption of products regarded as unhealthy, or containing ingredients so deemed.

“So you are going to see a tobacco campaign that is going to re-emphasise supporting the (no smoking) legislation, and (highlighting) the ill effects of tobacco.   You are (also) going to see a campaign around sugar, also highlighting the ill effects (of excessive consumption),” the Minister further said.   He made the announcement during Friday’s (November 3) National Food Industry Task Force stakeholder consultation meeting at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) head office in Kingston.

Dr. Tufton, who underscored the importance of the proposed engagement, said data obtained by the Ministry showed that NCDs accounted for 70 per cent of all deaths in Jamaican adults in 2010.   These, he said, included cardiovascular disease, cancers and respiratory illnesses.  He noted that unhealthy diet was among the four leading NCD risk factors, with the others being physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and tobacco.

The Minister said nutrition-related factors that directly increase the risk for NCDs include excessive consumption of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods that are high in added sugar, salt, sodium and fats, adding that the data attribute this to the pervasiveness of these products.   This, he added, is compounded by data indicating that 28 per cent of adults were not engaging in sufficient physical activity.

Dr. Tufton said this has heightened awareness of the need for changes deemed necessary to support healthier lifestyles.   He argued that the spiralling increase in obesity and chronic diseases in Jamaica, coupled with the “rapid and expanding internal and external food trade”, suggests that the implementation of food and nutrition policies locally “must proceed”.

“The focus must be on creating incentives and, in some instances, disincentives, which will allow more healthy foods to be available to Jamaicans,” he added.

Dr. Tufton said while several public- and private-sector entities must be involved in tackling nutrition-related diseases “(it is) food industry (stakeholders)… those who provide us with our daily sustenance… (who) have a crucial role to play”.   He noted that developments over the past decade indicate that the impact of food policy on chronic diseases is “profound and predictable” and, therefore, “requires attention”.

“Whilst decisions on food policy and chronic diseases are located in different Ministries, they are inextricably linked.   The National Food Industry Task Force was set up to assist in bridging that divide with actions aimed at the general population while engaging the key players in the industry,” the Minister stated.

Dr. Tufton said the availability of scientific data in relation to Jamaica’s NCD profile provides the perfect opportunity for all stakeholders to discuss the steps that must be taken to address the prevailing challenges.   Noting that several private entities have already embarked on measures aimed at correcting nutrition-related diseases, Dr. Tufton’s Ministry is committed to supporting these.

“We in the Ministry are going to endorse any move by any company that promotes healthier lifestyles and healthy living.   You may have to adjust the flavour (of your products) a little bit or reduce the sugar a little bit (and in so doing) position yourselves as offering a healthy option, which I believe is well within your capacity, given your creativity and entrepreneurial spirit,” Dr. Tufton added.

Release: JIS

 

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CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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