Kingston, Jamaica, January 18, 2025 – A new state-of-the-art immunohistochemistry (IHC) machine, installed at the National Public Health Laboratory in Kingston, was commissioned into service on Wednesday (January 15).

The unveiling of the VENTANA® BenchMark GX, valued US$419,584.38, is intended to strengthen the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ capabilities in managing breast cancer analysis, diagnosis and treatment.

The Ministry partnered with Roche, one of the largest biotechnical companies globally, for the undertaking.

Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said the acquisition marks a major step in further enhancing Jamaica’s diagnostic capacity, and will support the Ministry’s efforts to improve breast cancer care in the health system.

“The need for diagnostics is a big one in our public health system, and I am prepared to say we are not where we want to be. We have acquired a few mammograms over the last year and there are others that are supposed to be coming in. We… want to ensure that the initial screening, even before lab testing, is easier to assess as we encourage more persons to access,” he stated.

While acknowledging, “We are better off today than we were [approximately] five years ago”, the Minister maintained that “it’s a journey that has to continue if we are to stem the late detection and, unfortunately, the mortality rates in terms of late detection”.

Dr. Tufton emphasised that early diagnosis is critical in providing the necessary treatment and saving lives, noting data indicating that one in 21 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Dr. Tufton indicated that through the ‘Know Your Numbers’ Initiative, more than 100,000 tests were conducted. The initiative aims to encourage more Jamaicans to get screened for lifestyle diseases.

“We are going to be doing a lot more of that as part of the policy initiative to get more in,” he said, adding that through the Ministry’s mobile health centres, more persons will have access to healthcare services in small towns and communities.

Additionally, Dr. Tufton said more will be done to normalise the concept of screening for lifestyle diseases in order to support early detection and, by extension, a longer and better quality of life, particularly through the Ministry’s primary healthcare reform programme.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tufton said the work undertaken at the National Public Health Laboratory is crucial in providing diagnostics for the tests that have been undertaken through various programmes.

“Right now, on a monthly basis, some 40,000 samples are collected [and] some 200,000 tests are conducted… using approximately 20 machines which essentially provide the critical diagnosis for Jamaicans right across the length and breadth of the country as to their health status, and that is done by 250… employees,” he informed.

Dr. Tufton also indicated that the Ministry is moving towards having adequate diagnostic equipment within all the necessary health facilities as part of “helping or supporting the screening and the determination process as to what the status of the health of an individual is”.

Additionally, he said the Ministry is introducing a policy that will result in the long-term engagement of service contractors to repair and maintain equipment at health facilities.

Meanwhile, Consultant Haemato-oncologist at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), Dr. Joye Taylor-Houston, said accurate and early cancer diagnosis is essential in the fight against the disease.

“By improving access to tests, we can enhance patient care and outcomes through early diagnosis and, therefore, reduce the risk of the disease’s recurrence,” she stated.

Dr.Taylor-Houston said the oncology community is committed to the cause of providing comprehensive cancer care that meets the needs of patients.

“This new immunohistochemistry equipment will assist us in providing this level of care,” she added.

Disease Area Strategy Director, Roche Caribbean, Central America and Venezuela, Juan Cruz, said the equipment’s provision will enable Jamaica to optimise the national breast cancer testing regime and improve biomarker testing and diagnosis.

“This collaboration is another important step in the country’s commitment to having the required diagnostic capacity for a personalised approach to breast cancer, continuing the work that we began since 2015,” he said.

General Manager, Roche Caribbean, Central America and Venezuela, Alvaro Soto, acknowledged Jamaica being one of the first Caribbean countries to commence local IHC and continue this process to ensure precise cancer diagnostics.

“This milestone underscores the country’s commitment to enhancing healthcare outcomes through advanced technology. Achieving precise and early cancer diagnosis is crucial in the fight against this disease. With this new equipment, we are optimistic about the significant improvements in patient care,” he said.

Roche’s investment in the installation, maintenance and provision of test reagents for the equipment represents 86 per cent of the total cost.

The remaining 13.52 per cent allocated by the Health Ministry is for test reagents.

CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON

Release: JIS

Photo Caption: Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (second right), listens as Senior Medical Technologist at the National Public Health Laboratory in Kingston, Lincoln Fisher (second left), explains the functions of the new state-of-the-art VENTANA® BenchMark GX immunohistochemistry equipment, which was installed at the facility and commissioned into service on Wednesday (January 15). Also listening (from left) are Disease Area Strategy Director, Roche Caribbean, Central America and Venezuela, Juan Cruz; and Director, National Laboratory Services, Dr. Marline Tapper.

Photographer: Michael Sloley

Nassau, Bahamas, January 15, 2025 – CIBC Caribbean has warned about an ongoing ‘smishing scam’ targeting clients in The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.

It noted that fraudsters have been sending text messages to persons stating that their accounts were placed on hold or that their cards were locked and requesting them to click on a link and to enter their banking credentials in order to regain access to their accounts.

The bank has reiterated that it does not send out texts or SMS messages with links for clients to click on.

Clients who receive any communication with links should check that they are from a bona fide source prior to attempting to click on them.

The latest fraud attempt is a smishing scam and we are taking the necessary steps to report the fraudulent sites, the bank said.

Smishing occurs when fraudsters attempt to steal customers’ data or money through a text message that tries to trick them into following a link and revealing personal details or login information.

If you believe that you have encountered a suspicious message, just follow these simple tips.

Firstly, don’t click on any links or attachments and don’t reply to the message. Try and establish the legitimacy of the message by getting in contact with the organisation through alternative means, for example, calling the phone number on your printed statements.

If the sender claims to represent CIBC Caribbean, then forward the email as an attachment to our dedicated fraud team (fraud@cibcfcib.com) and delete the message from your system.

It is also a good idea to regularly review all your financial accounts and if you spot any irregularities, contact the bank immediately. Additionally, email security should be reviewed and consider changing your password to a stronger one, using a combination of characters, letters and numbers. Never share your internet banking log-in credentials or One-Time Verification Codes (OTVC) with anyone!

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands — The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism proudly announces new record-breaking passenger arrival numbers, which highlight the continued growth of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John as a leading tourism destination.

Closing out the year on a high, December 28 recorded 4,606 passenger arrivals, surpassing the single-day arrival record set earlier in March 2024. This achievement also led to a new weekly passenger arrival record, with over 24,000 arrivals, marking a 5.92% increase over the previous record.

“As a destination, we continue to explore, elevate, and improve, which further supports the ongoing goal to build upon our commitment to be a premier Caribbean destination,” shares Commissioner Joseph Boschulte of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.

In 2024, combined airline arrivals at Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas and Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix totaled 932,265 passengers. This figure surpassed the previous record set during the COVID-19 pandemic by over 100,000 passengers and represented a 16.5% increase compared to 2023.

The newly released numbers culminate a year of exponential tourism growth for the U.S. Virgin Islands, including a record-breaking month of arrivals in March with 106,026, and the introduction or return of airline routes from American Airlines, Cape Air, Delta Air Lines, Frontier, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country, and United Airlines.

The Territory also experienced a significant boost in cruise passengers, welcoming 1,770,922, resulting in a 9.8% increase compared to 2023. This growth was driven by the maiden voyages of several ships, including Scarlet Lady, Icon of the Seas, Disney Treasure, Explora I, Sun Princess, Explora II, Emerald Azzurra, Celebrity Apex, and Rhapsody of the Seas. The increase in cruise arrivals highlights the ongoing efforts of the Department of Tourism and local partners to strengthen and foster relationships across the industry.

In addition to welcoming more visitors, the territory also received several prestigious industry honors, including:

• Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine: Best Caribbean Cruise Destination 2024
• Caribbean Journal Caribbean Travel Award:
• Caribbean Culinary Destination: St. Croix
• Caribbean Yachting Destination of the Year
• Event Destination of the Year
• USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards:
• Top 10 Best Beach: Honeymoon Beach, St. John
•  The World’s 50 Best Beaches presented by Banana Boat:
• Number 1 Best Beach in the World 2024, Trunk Bay, St. John
• Expedia 2024 Summer Outlook
• Number 1 Domestic Trending Summer Destination, St. Thomas
• HSMAI Adrian Awards:
• Experiential Marketing Bronze Award- The U.S. Virgin Islands’ Caribbean Way of Sports & Lifestyle Tourism Integrated Campaign

“As we look to 2025, we will continue to push the creativity of our marketing strategies, which includes advertising, social media, public relations, and partnerships to connect with and keep the U.S. Virgin Islands top of mind for new and returning travelers,” adds Commissioner Boschulte.

Commissioner Boschulte and the Department of Tourism team continue to set their sights on an ambitious future, positioning the U.S. Virgin Islands as the premier destination for travelers seeking natural beauty, cultural richness, and warm hospitality.

For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands, please visit https://www.visitusvi.com/.