The Public Health Agency (PHA) says that support for breastfeeding has grown, with rates of breastfeeding at birth increasing from 36% to 64% over the past two decades. This year’s World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August), is a time to look back and learn from successes and use this progress to plan future support for women who want to breastfeed.

Businesses can play a key role in boosting breastfeeding rates in Northern Ireland, the Public Health Agency (PHA) has said. To coincide with world breastfeeding week (1 – 7 August), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the PHA has revealed that over 300 businesses and public facilities here have already signed up to support and welcome breastfeeding families as part of a PHA scheme, and more are joining all the time.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) will be joining the Belfast Pride celebrations in Custom House Square this Saturday (4 Aug), where information on health and wellbeing issues that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people in Northern Ireland will also be provided, along with free health checks for those in attendance.

Ahead of World Hepatitis Day on Saturday 28 July, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding people who think they may be at risk from hepatitis infection to get tested. One in 12 people worldwide is living with either chronic hepatitis B or C. The latest figures from the PHA show that laboratory reported cases of Hepatitis B and C in Northern Ireland have increased slightly since 2010. Latest figures show that in 2011 92 cases of hepatitis B and 113 cases of hepatitis C were recorded compared to 80 cases of hepatitis B and 106 of hepatitis C in 2010.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is working to improve the health and social wellbeing of people in the Northern area by inviting local community and voluntary sector organisations to apply for small grants of up to £10,000. There are two small grants (from £5,000 to £10,000) which promote healthy choices and build local communities. These are:

The Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and the Public Health Agency (PHA) have launched a new Community Development Strategy entitled: ‘Working in Partnership’. Community development is a practice which helps people to act together to improve their shared environment, both through their own efforts and through working in partnership with public services.

With preparations for the Olympics in full swing, boxer Paddy Barnes has teamed up with the Public Health Agency (PHA) to encourage people of all ages to use the games as inspiration to get active. Medal-winning Olympian and Commonwealth champion Barnes said: “As someone who will be participating in the London games, I have a rigorous fitness regime. However, you don’t need to train like a boxer to keep fit.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) today launched a joint pilot initiative to display important public health messages on ambulances. Over the coming months 19 Emergency and PCS ambulances (non-emergency patient transport) across Belfast and South Eastern areas will be used for carrying life-saving messages. The PHA’s F.A.S.T campaign, which raises public awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke and actions to take if you think someone is having one, will be the first public health message carried on Northern Ireland ambulances.