An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is a potentially fatal condition which can particularly affect older men, but can be detected with a simple ultrasound screening test. In Northern Ireland the AAA Screening Programme offers this test to men in the year they turn 65. The success of the programme, in detecting and successfully managing this condition, has been highlighted at an event in Belfast attended by men who have benefitted from the programme. The aorta is the main artery that supplies blood to the body, and runs from the heart down through the chest and abdomen (belly). As some people

Community and voluntary groups are being encouraged to apply for small grants which can be used to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities. The Public Health Agency (PHA) aims to work with local groups through its small grants programme to address health and wellbeing in Northern Ireland. The grants programme will also support a range of strategic themes and priorities under the ‘Making Life Better’ public health framework, in particular mental health, emotional wellbeing, suicide prevention and self-harm. Fiona Teague, Acting Head of Health & Social Wellbeing Improvement (West)

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding parents of children who will be entering year 9 in September that they will be offered the HPV ( human papilloma virus) vaccine during the first school term, with boys now eligible to receive it for the first time. The vaccine is offered as part of the school-based vaccination programme. The HPV vaccine was first introduced in 2008 and was offered to girls aged 12-13. In April 2019, the Department of Health announced that the vaccine will be offered to all boys in year nine also. This is because the evidence is clear that the HPV vaccine helps

As we venture outdoors over the summer months the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone to take steps to protect themselves from tick bites. Tick bites can cause Lyme disease, a serious and debilitating disease which can be transmitted to humans through their bite. Dr Michael Devine, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, explained: “Lyme disease is a bacterial infection which is transmitted by tick bites. The earliest and most common symptom of Lyme disease is a pink or red circular rash that develops around the area of the bite, 3 to 30 days after someone is bitten. The rash is

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding pregnant women to get the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of their pregnancy. Up to 19 June 2019, 44 cases of confirmed whooping cough in Northern Ireland have been reported to the PHA, of which just over one fifth were in infants under 6 months of age and so too young to be protected by their routine childhood immunisations given at 2, 3, and 4 months of age. This is higher than last year, when there were 16 cases during the same time period. Whooping cough is a disease that can cause long bouts of coughing and choking

As we enter the final week of the Active Travel Challenge (ATC), the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging those who haven’t joined yet to sign up, get active and get involved in a healthier commute. The month-long ATC is a joint initiative by the PHA, Department for Infrastructure, Sustrans and Translink. It began on 1 June and runs until 30 June and has included four themed weeks: Bus + Train Week, Bike Week, Walk Week, and Get Active Week, which starts today. “Throughout the month, we have been asking employers to encourage staff to leave the car at home and walk, cycle or take public