Health
Public urged not to dump in absence of bulk clean-up
(CNS): Since the Department of Environmental Health moved the usual seasonal bulk-waste collection to May this year, there will be no pre-Christmas clean-up. The DEH is urging people not to illegally dump their big waste items but to make arrangements to take them to the George Town or Sister Islands landfills. The department said it […]
Hospital full as population keeps growing
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town is full to bursting and has become the latest casualty of the unprecedented growth in Cayman’s population. As the headcount here continues its relentless rise, all of the country’s infrastructure is coming under strain, including the government hospital. Officials told CNS that they are doing all they […]
17 local schools record cases of hand, foot and mouth
(CNS): As of Wednesday, 18 October, the Public Health Department had identified hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in 17 local schools, according to Medical Officer of Health Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez. There are no vaccines that prevent this virus or specific cures. Health officials are therefore urging parents to practice good hygiene to contain the […]
Over 12,600 sought help for mental health in 2022
(CNS): As Cayman marked World Mental Health Day yesterday (10 October), the Health Service Authority (HSA) urged people to pay attention to their mental well-being. More than 12,600 people sought mental health services here last year, according to the Mental Health Commission. Dr Omotayo Bernard, who heads the Behavioural Health Department at the HSA, said […]
Notorious healthcare bills climb to new high
(CNS): The public purse will be picking up a record-breaking tab by the end of this year to cover the hospital bills both at home and abroad for people who are either under- or uninsured. Although the 2021 Census suggested that 93% of Cayman Islands residents have health insurance, in 2023 the government is expecting […]
Health officials warn of local dengue transmission
(CNS): Early evidence of local person-to-person dengue transmission has been identified in the Cayman Islands, officials from the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Public Health Department have said. So far this year, four of 28 suspected dengue cases have been confirmed, and one of those infected individuals had no travel history.
Ban on Brits giving blood finally lifted
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has approved a change in the local blood donor eligibility policy following a review of the potential risk posed by people who had visited or lived in countries affected by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as “mad cow disease”. This means people who lived in Britain between 1980 and […]
COVID spreads but not fuelling respiratory illness
(CNS): Seeking to allay concerns in the community that an increase in the spread of COVID-19 in the Cayman Islands has caused a correlating increase in respiratory illnesses, Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Gent has said that current hospitalisations due to respiratory problems are in line with previous years.
Cannabis ‘gummies’ delivered without prescription
(CNS): Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Gent is asking medical professionals and pharmacists to follow the law when it comes to the dispensing and prescription of cannabis products, as all forms of the drug are illegal here unless prescribed by a doctor. After a local pharmacy mistakenly delivered cannabis gummies to a young patient without […]
WTE due to open in 2027 a decade after bid
(CNS): The waste-to-energy facility is due to open in 2027, almost a decade after the Dart-led consortium was selected as the preferred bidder in October 2017. In the face of public frustration about how long the talks between the Cayman Islands Government and Dart have taken over the ReGen project, Deputy Chief Officer (Policy) Troy […]
EIA implies low environmental impact for ReGen WTE
(CNS): Given the poor conditions and historical problems associated with the George Town dump and the lack of a proper landfill liner, the development of a waste-to-energy facility is likely to benefit rather than harm the natural marine and terrestrial resources in the area, according to the draft environmental impact assessment (EIA). Around 1.7 acres […]
