As people get ready to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging anyone choosing to drink to be careful and keep an eye on their alcohol intake by making a plan, setting a limit and sticking to it. Kevin Bailey, Joint Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol at the PHA, said: “Many people will be making plans to meet up with their friends and family to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and we are encouraging them to keep an eye on their alcohol intake should they choose to drink. “By setting a plan, you can avoid binge drinking which has been shown to have adverse effects

The Public Health Agency (PHA) was delighted to welcome Mary Gordon, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Roots of Empathy (ROE) Canada to Strandtown Primary School for a very special visit during World Empathy Week to see first-hand the programme being delivered to children across Northern Ireland. Empathy is described as the ability to take on another person’s perspective, to understand, feel, share and respond to their experience. The Roots of Empathy programme reflects this perfectly. Roots of Empathy is funded by the PHA and co-ordinated by local health trusts working closely

Antimicrobial resistance is a huge public health concern and tackling it is one of the Public Health Agency’s (PHA) priorities. As antimicrobial resistance worsens, our antibiotics become less effective, and it’s vital that we keep the public informed on this issue including how they can contribute to save some of our most precious medicines. One aspect of this educational tool is to encourage people to be careful with antibiotic use - and that includes children and young people. e-Bug is a free health education resource for teachers, which aims to reduce antibiotic resistance by helping

The first ever Living Donation Week is taking place between 10-16 March 2025 to shine a spotlight on the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme (UKLKSS) celebrating 2,000 donors who have donated through the scheme – 204 of these from Northern Ireland. Living Donation Week also highlights the need for more living donors. There are over 6,000 people in the UK waiting for a kidney transplant, almost 90 of those in Northern Ireland. The average wait for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor is around three years. For some people from minority ethnic groups and people who are difficult to match, the

This Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month [March], the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. From 2016 – 2020, there were around 200 cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in Northern Ireland each year. The PHA is urging women to speak to their GP as soon as possible if they notice any of the common symptoms. Dr Tracy Owen, Deputy Director of Public Health at the PHA said: “Ovarian cancer is more common in women who have been through the menopause, usually in those over the age of 50, but it can also affect younger women. No matter what