The Carriacou workshop is part of a series of parish-level trainings to strengthen the multi-sectoral teams for gender-based violence

View the full post Gender-Based Violence workshop held in Carriacou on NOW Grenada.

“Cash service will be offered on the ground floor of the Accountant General Division, Treasury, from today, Tuesday, 29 August until further notice”

View the full post Ministry of Finance affected by occupational health issue on NOW Grenada.

The Grenada Sports Medicine Association is hosting a stakeholders meeting via the Zoom platform on Wednesday, 30 August, 2023

View the full post Grenada Sports Medicine Association public stakeholder meeting on NOW Grenada.

Barbados has again proven itself to have the best triathletes in the region.

For the second year running, Barbados emerged as champions at the CARIFTA Triathlon, Aquathlon and Mixed Relay Championships, which climaxed over the weekend in the Bahamas.

The team captured 15 medals, including an impressive eight gold medals, to amass 180 points and lift the title. The Bahamas was a distant second on 130 points.

Barbados is scheduled to host the 2024 Championships and will be going after a three-peat on home soil. (RB/PR)

The post Barbados lift CARIFTA title appeared first on Barbados Today.

Santo Domingo.- With the recent passing of tropical storm Franklin causing floods, the first seven months of this year have seen a worrying surge in leptospirosis cases in the country. Leptospirosis is a disease transmitted through contact with contaminated animal urine. The floodwaters left behind by the storm provide an environment conducive to its spread.

As of the fifth of this month, the nation has reported 23 deaths and 259 cases of leptospirosis. This figure is a staggering 89% higher than the numbers recorded up to the same date last year, when there were 136 infections and 21 deaths.

The latest epidemiological report for week 31 shows that thirteen suspected cases of leptospirosis emerged during that week. These cases were identified in various provinces, including San Cristóbal, San Juan de la Maguana, Santiago de los Caballeros, Santo Domingo, La Vega, Puerto Plata, Sánchez Ramírez, and the National District.

Eladio Pérez, Vice Minister of Collective Health, had earlier issued an epidemiological alert, aiming to ensure that Provincial Directorates and Health Areas are equipped to respond to health situations as they arise.

(CMC) – Suriname has been named among eight countries that are adopting measures in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to protect the health of their populations from novel tobacco products.

The WHO said Friday that with the recent ban on the use and marketing of electronic cigarettes in Venezuela, currently, 21 countries in the Americas regulate electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as e-cigarettes and vapes.

“The resolution that regulates new and emerging nicotine and tobacco products in Venezuela is an important step forward for the country and for the region,” said Dr Anselm Hennis, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases Mental Health at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

“We hope that this measure motivates other countries to take action on these products, which are addictive, harmful and aggressively advertised towards the youngest,” he added.

The eight new countries to join the initiative are Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela and PAHO said these countries prohibit their sale altogether, and the other 13 countries have partially or totally adopted one or more regulatory measures.

It said 14 countries in the Americas, including the Caribbean, lack any regulation of these products.

Last June, a previous resolution of the Venezuelan Ministry of Popular Power for Health banned the sale of vapes to minors.

Now, the August 1 resolution prohibits “the manufacture, storage, distribution, circulation, commercialization, importation, exportation, use, consumption, advertising, promotion and sponsorship of ENDS and electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS)”, as well as their “consumables”, “accessories”, and “heated tobacco products”.

PAHO said e-cigarettes are the most common form of electronic nicotine delivery systems. When used, they heat a liquid to create aerosols that are inhaled by the user.

It said these “e-liquids” contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance found in tobacco, and other additives, flavorings and chemicals, some of which are toxic to the health of both the user and those exposed to them.

PAHO/WHO recommends that governments implement regulations in line with the provisions of the FCTC and its decisions, such as prohibiting the marketing of ENDS, including their importation, distribution or sale, as well as regulations on their use in public places, prohibiting their advertising and promotion, taxing them, and other regulations similar to those applied to tobacco products.

Tobacco kills one million people in the region of the Americas annually and while measures taken since the FCTC came into force in 2005 ha per cent in 2020, these achievements are threatened by novel tobacco and nicotine products.

Currently, 11.3 per cent of adolescents between 13 and 15 years of age in the region use tobacco, compared to the world average of 10.3 per cent.

The post Suriname bans the sale of electronic cigarettes appeared first on Barbados Today.

The Dominican Republic’s healthcare sector has been working “hard” on digitalization; since the pandemic, efforts have increased.

The significant changes impacting the global healthcare system have led its main actors to adopt more modern, interconnected, and patient-centered digital systems.

Therefore, Fedor Vidal, CEO of Arium Salud Digital, maintains that one of the objectives of the digitalization of healthcare is artificial intelligence, which has produced excellent results.

He indicated that “about health tourism, we see great benefits regarding the identification of procedures and services in which the country could be a leader in the region; the comparative analysis of attention costs and quality indexes compared with other countries.”

He stressed that this is only possible with digitalizing clinical processes and adherence to international clinical coding protocols.

“Another benefit of artificial intelligence being used in the health tourism sector is the identification of potential patients within the general population of tourists through population profiles and aggregated data,” he explained.

Axes of impact
The healthcare industry has been positively marked in four axes thanks to digital transformation, which are: Exponential increase in the efficiency of administrative processes, access to quality healthcare to more people, more quickly and more safely, democratization of information for all actors in the sector and the interconnection of actors in a synergistic way through fluid electronic processes allowing the flow of information between them in an expeditious manner.

Vidal said that one of the main steps to be taken is to educate oneself on the subject of hospital digital transformation through congresses and seminars that are held annually, such as the International Congress on Health and Wellness Tourism.

View the full post The UWI leads regional dialogue on climate change and mental health on NOW Grenada.

STATEN ISLAND, New York City (WABC) — It’s been three long months of surgeries, skin grafts, physical rehabilitation, and grief counseling. But Monday, three months to the day of a fatal fire that claimed the lives of 20 students in a girl’s dormitory in Guyana, the most critically burned patient will be discharged. Mariza Williams was ...

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) has taken proactive steps by activating its National Contingency Plan to mitigate the potential impact of tropical storm Franklin, anticipated for Tuesday, August 22, as forecasted by the National Meteorological Office (ONAMET).

Leading a coordination meeting with vice ministers and directors of the institution, Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera, instructed the Rapid Response Teams to initiate actions in line with the “Assessment of Damages and Analysis of Health Needs in Emergency Situations (EDAN-Salud).” This collaboration takes place in coordination with the Emergency Operations Center (COE).

Dr. Rivera emphasized the paramount importance of safeguarding the public’s health. He urged all personnel to be ready to respond to any emerging emergency situations arising from the impending weather phenomenon, as indicated by meteorological predictions. Preventing disease transmission is crucial, as episodes such as diarrhea, dengue fever, malaria, and other ailments tend to escalate during hurricane season and heavy rainfall periods. The implementation of effective health measures can mitigate the potential consequences.

Dr. Gina Estrella, Director of Risk Management and Disaster Care, noted that the Ministry of Health has been in a continuous session due to the looming threat of the storm. This state of readiness extends to both headquarters and Provincial Directorates and Health Areas. Dr. Estrella called upon local authorities to take appropriate actions to ensure the well-being and safety of residents in their jurisdictions. Special attention is given to provinces under alert, particularly Pedernales and Dajabón, where the storm’s impact is expected to be most pronounced.

Assured provision of medicines, supplies, and necessary resources is a priority for the Ministry to effectively assist those in need during the crisis.

Key actions include:

– Activation of the COE-Health in a continuous session.
– Ongoing monitoring from the Situation Room of the Directorate of Risk Management and Disaster Assistance.
– Activation of Provincial Health Committees, integration of Provincial and Municipal COEs, and response plan activation for hospitals in respective jurisdictions.
– Evaluation of temporary shelters identified by Civil Defense for authorization.
– Inventory of available resources for response needs.
– Activation of local rapid response teams.

The Ministry of Health underscores the importance of preventive measures during the rainy season. In particular, increased occurrences of acute respiratory diseases, epidemics, and the potential spread of diseases like dengue, leptospirosis, acute diarrheal disease, Covid-19, and others. Precautionary steps include practicing permanent hand washing, ensuring the safety of drinking water, maintaining hygienic practices for food and utensils, using tissues when sneezing, protecting vulnerable groups, and being equipped with necessary medications.

The Emergency Operations Center has placed the entire country under alert. The southern coast is on red alert, the central region and extreme east are on yellow alert, and the north and northeast coasts are on green alert. The forecast anticipates heavy rainfall across the nation due to the direct impact of the storm.