Jamaica, along with two other Caribbean countries, Belize and St. Vincent and the Grenadines became the latest countries to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

Present in a ceremony on 7^th May, 2024 to mark this incredible achievement were Jamaica’s Health Minister, The Honourable Christopher Tufton and the Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa and members representing UNICEF and UNAIDS.

As reported on PAHO’s website, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa noted “This achievement is a testament to years of dedication, hard work, and collaboration among governments, health professionals, and communities”.

Jamaica is one of 19 countries globally to achieve the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis (EMTCT) and one of 11 in the Americas. 

What is the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis (EMTCT)?

Since 2010, there has been a global initiative to eliminate the transmission of HIV and syphilis from mother to child which is part of a wider initiative to eliminate the spread of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV across the globe.

The objective of the global initiative is to achieve and sustain the elimination of mother-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, Chagas disease, and perinatal hepatitis B as a public health threat.

In the Americas, Cuba was the first to achieve EMTCT in 2015, followed by Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and St. Kitts and Nevis in 2017.

Jamaica, Belize, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines achieving this status is a great accomplishment and a win for public health and the region.

This global plan of action is not only keeping mothers alive, it is keeping our children alive. They can thrive, become healthy adults, and be protected from diseases that normally impede their normal growth and development.

For more information on this subject, you can check out PAHO and UNICEF.

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As the month of September comes to a close, let us endeavour to be active in our suicide prevention efforts by “Creating Action through Hope”.

We are all facing unprecedented times with COVID-19 and its impact on our mental health. Our children are not exempt from these challenges.

Research shows an increase in depressive symptoms from 5% to 6.2%, particularly, among black females in the United States and a 34% increase in suicidal thoughts among adolescent females since the pandemic.

In Jamaica, pre-COVID-19 figures show that 42% of attempted suicides treated at hospitals were children and 53% of U-Report respondents had considered suicide.

With the challenges of missing out on social interactions, increased mental health challenges across the nation and a strain on public mental health facilities for children, parents and caregivers should take an active role in learning more about suicide in children and suicide prevention.

Suicide Prevention Month is focused on sharing knowledge about and bringing awareness of suicide. It also focuses on how to support someone with suicidal thoughts and efforts to prevent suicide.

The aim is to break down the stigma of talking about suicide by creating avenues for discussions, empathy and courage.

If you or your child(ren) have been affected by suicide and need further help, please check the resources below.

Ministry of Health and Wellness Suicide Prevention Tips

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has partnered with UNICEF to provide suicide prevention tips messages through U-Report. Through this programme, young people can send and receive messages on their mobile phones. The Ministry has also set up a Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline. Click here for more information about these services.

Choose Life International (C.L.I.)

Choose Life International aims to provide support and empowerment to schools, churches, businesses, and the wider community in the prevention of suicide, among teens, children and adults. C.L.I. offers one-to-one counselling, group counselling and telephone counselling. They provide counselling support for adolescents, children, adults and families.

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Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies to Support Children and Families

Child Protection and Family Services Agency

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), formed out of a merger of the Child Development Agency and the Office of Children’s Registry, is a leader in Jamaica’s child protection system, with a combined legacy reputation for our work in promoting child-friendly policies and ground-breaking programmes to strengthen families.

The Early Childhood Commission

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) was established by the Early Childhood Commission Act (2003), in keeping with the strategic goal of the Government of Jamaica to improve the quality of early childhood care, education and development within the early childhood sector. The ECC, which is an agency of the Ministry of Education, coordinates all activities, development plans and programmes within the early childhood sector.

Office of the Children’s Advocate

The OCA has a team of dedicated individuals who are passionate about the rights of all children. We pledge our unwavering commitment as we seek to represent the views of children, advocate for quality service delivery to children and safeguard the rights and well-being of all children in Jamaica.

Ministry of Education Youth and Information

The Ministry of Education (MoEYI) is the government entity responsible for the management and administration of public education in Jamaica.

Victim’s Services Division at the Ministry of Justice

The Victim Support Unit of Jamaica (VSU), operated by the Ministry of Justice is intended to assist persons against whom certain offences have been committed. The Victim Support Unit is committed to the best interests of victims of crime by actively supporting them, identifying their needs and advocating their rights. The Unit, through its parish offices island-wide, assists victims of crime to manage the emotional trauma associated with and caused by crime. Victims of crimes (both major and minor) fare better whenever the Victim Support Unit intervenes.

Child Diversion Programme at the Ministry of Justice

The Government of Jamaica (GoJ) has created a four-year National Plan of Action for Child Justice (2010 to 2014). The National Plan of Action was prompted by the concerns of the State regarding the protection and care of children as articulated by the various advocacy groups, social workers and caregivers. The increase in violence by children and against them caused significant concerns among the public and State officials who noted the shocking nature of the randomness and unpredictability of criminal conduct involving children throughout the country. The goal of the Plan of Action is to develop and sustain a justice system in which the best interest of the child is paramount in the administration of the programmes to secure their protection and in the maintenance of the rule of law. The Ministry of Justice has been appointed as the lead Ministry to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate a Child Diversion Pilot Project.

Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security

The Government of Jamaica in focusing its efforts on advancing social development initiated a programme of safety net reform in 2000. As part of the reforms, the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) was introduced as a Conditional Cash Transfer programme targeting vulnerable households within the population.

Early Stimulation Programme at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security

The Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) is an early intervention programme for young children (0-6 years) with various types of developmental disabilities. The Programme commenced operation in 1975 as a project but subsequently became integrated into one of the Ministry’s social programmes. Since its inception in 1975, the Programme has benefited well over twenty thousand children with various types of disabilities across the island.

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