Meningitis is a potentially life-threatening disease and during Meningitis Awareness Week (17-23 September) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding students to be aware of the signs and symptoms. Teenagers and young adults (14–24 years old) are more at risk, especially when away from home with no parents around to look after them.

As students prepare for the start of the new academic year, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging teenagers and young adults to make sure they are protected against serious infections, such as measles, mumps and rubella. The start of the university year is an exciting time, with new friends to meet, clubs to join and the start of student life. However, university bars and campuses, where lots of students are in close proximity, are ideal breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses to spread.

Community, voluntary and statutory organisations within the South Eastern area are invited to apply for Public Health Agency (PHA) small grants to promote health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities. The small grants programme is open until 12 October 2012 offering grants of up to £5,000 for projects that will be completed by the 31 March 2013.

The PHA is urging smokers to order a free quit today following new research which shows that nearly 65% of smokers found it helped them to give up or cut down on their smoking. The PHA has distributed over 19,000 quit kits since January 2011 and recent research* on the Quit Kit shows that almost 65% (64.6%) of smokers found it helpful in their attempts to stop or cut down on their smoking, with four out of ten respondents stating that they found it very (26.1%) or extremely helpful (13.7%).

The Western Investing for Health (WIFH) Partnership, established in 2002, celebrated 10 years of successfully tackling inequalities and promoting good health and emotional wellbeing at a special event today (6 September). The celebrations also provided an opportunity to look forward to a significant and productive future in the North West.

The Public Health Agency is inviting applications from community/voluntary groups based and working within the five district Council areas of Armagh; Banbridge; Craigavon; Dungannon & South Tyrone; Newry & Mourne. The aim of the Public Health Agency is to improve the health and social wellbeing of the population and to reduce inequalities in health.

As children head back to school this week parents across Northern Ireland will be breathing an exhausted sigh of relief. But they may be back at home before you know it, suffering from one of the many common illnesses picked up in the playground. The Public Health Agency (PHA) is therefore urging parents to remind their children about the importance of good hygiene.

School pupils across the southern area could benefit from funding to help them pass their English and Mathematics GCSEs, thanks to a partnership with the Public Health Agency (PHA). Gerry Bleakney, Head of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement, PHA, explained: “One of the PHA’s core goals is to improve people’s wellbeing, and part of this involves empowering young people to achieve their potential.

Breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day, particularly for children ahead of a busy time at school, and skipping it can mean missing out on important vitamins and minerals. After an overnight fast of up to 12 hours or perhaps more for some children, the body needs something to kick start the metabolism.