Following the detection of Poliovirus in sewage from North and East London the Public Health Agency (PHA) is taking this opportunity to remind parents to make sure their child’s immunisations are up-to-date. Rachel Spiers, Immunisation and Vaccination Programme Manager at the PHA said: “Many childhood diseases that were common in the UK prior to the introduction of vaccination have been dramatically reduced or have disappeared altogether. However, once a disease fades from prominence, it is easy to forget how serious they could be. Unless vaccine uptake remains high in Northern Ireland, many

This Northern Ireland Alcohol Awareness Week (20-26 June) people are being encouraged by the Public Health Agency (PHA) to take a closer look at their drinking habits and to give themselves an “alcohol audit”. Four-fifths (81%) of adults here drink alcohol so the PHA and Northern Ireland’s five Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams (DACTs) are asking people to check how much they drink and look at the impact it could be having on their health and wellbeing. Kevin Bailey, the PHA’s Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol said: “Many of us enjoy a drink, but we need to remember that alcohol is a

This Cervical Screening Awareness Week (20-26 June) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is highlighting the importance of attending for cervical screening when invited. Between 2016 and 2020 in Northern Ireland, there was an average of 81 people diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and around 21 deaths per year. “When you receive an invitation for cervical screening, it is really important to accept the invite and attend for the screening – it could be life-saving,” Dr Tracy Owen, Interim Assistant Director of Public Health, Screening and Professional Standards at the PHA, said. “Cervical

A new YouTube channel is set to bring the healthy eating and nutrition expertise of dietitians to the palms of the hands of people in Northern Ireland. The ‘Public Health Dietitians’ channel is a partnership between the Public Health Dietitians Group (PHDG) Northern Ireland and the Public Health Agency (PHA) which is going live this Dietitians Week (June 20- 24). The online outlet will host videos of all things nutrition, from healthy recipes to webinars with advice on nutrition for all stages of life. Dr Hannah Dearie, Senior Officer for Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement with PHA said:

Schools will soon be finishing up for the summer holidays and parents and guardians are being encouraged to talk to their children and young people now about the dangers of using alcohol and drugs. The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging parents not to be afraid to talk about the subject and to highlight the risks associated with drinking alcohol and taking drugs. Davis Turkington, Senior Health and Wellbeing Improvement Officer with the PHA, said: “Many teenagers will be spending more time with friends over the coming months, possibly going to parties, gigs and festivals, or even heading off

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is continuing to work with counterparts in other jurisdictions as part of a UK-wide investigation being led by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) into cases of hepatitis (liver inflammation) in children in which the common viruses which usually cause hepatitis (hepatitis A, B, C, D or E) have not been detected. The agency is working with HSC partners to raise awareness among healthcare professionals, so that any children who may be affected can be identified early and the appropriate tests carried out. As of the 8 June the number of confirmed cases in Northern

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding those who think they have been at risk of exposure to monkeypox and have symptoms to phone first. Do not go to a healthcare facility without contacting them first. As of the 30 May the number of confirmed cases in Northern Ireland is two. To protect patient confidentiality, no further details relating to the patients will be disclosed. It was not unexpected to have confirmed cases following the presence of monkeypox cases elsewhere in the UK. The risk to the Northern Ireland population remains low, but we are asking people to be alert to any new

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging smokers to use World No Tobacco Day (31 May) as the date to start their quit journey and improve their health. Colette Rogers, Strategic Lead for Tobacco Control with the PHA, said: “We are encouraging people to join with us and others throughout the world in quitting smoking on World No Tobacco Day.” Charlene Maguire (39) is one of the thousands of smokers who have successfully quit using the free stop smoking services available throughout Northern Ireland. The mum-of-two from Enniskillen quit smoking in May 2017. She was smoking over 30 cigarettes a

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is today [Thursday 26 May] confirming that a case of monkeypox has been identified in Northern Ireland. This was not unexpected following the presence of monkeypox cases elsewhere in the UK. To protect patient confidentiality, no further details relating to the patient will be disclosed. The virus can be passed on through close person-to-person contact, or contact with items used by a person who has monkeypox, such as clothes, bedding or utensils. Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting illness and most people recover within a few weeks. Dr Gillian Armstrong, Head

The COVID-19 spring booster vaccination programme will shortly be coming to an end, but the opportunity has now arisen for those who will turn 75 years old by 30 June 2022 (i.e. those born before 30 June 1947), to receive a spring booster dose. As well as people aged 75 years and over, the spring booster will be offered to residents in care homes for older people, and those aged 12 years and over with weakened immune systems and the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging those eligible to get the spring booster now before the offer closes. Dr Jillian Johnston, Joint Interim Assistant Director in