Strokes claim the lives of around 1,000 people in Northern Ireland every year. It is the third most common cause of death and the greatest cause of adult disability, so the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding people of the a range of signs and symptoms of stroke. Dr Brid Farrell, Assistant Director of Service Development at the PHA, said: “Stroke is an attack on the brain. It happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off and brain cells are damaged or die.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding all people aged 70 years old that they are still able to receive the shingles vaccine. The vaccine will help protect them against the common and painful skin disease and its complications. However, with just over half of people eligible for the jab actually choosing to receive it, time is running out before their age moves them out of the target groups, which turn over on 1 September each year. Eligibility for the vaccine is determined by a person’s age on 1 September.

Next week is World Breastfeeding Week 2016 (1-7 August) and the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging everyone to show support for mums who breastfeed in public. The theme for the week, which is coordinated by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, is “A Key to Sustainable Development” – highlighting how breastfeeding is a key element in getting us to think about valuing wellbeing from the very start of life, respecting each other, caring for the world we share and making best use of our resources.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging people who think they may be at risk of hepatitis B or C to get tested and prevent the spread on World Hepatitis Day (28 July). Viral hepatitis is a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. It kills 4,000 people every day worldwide and, although not very common in Northern Ireland, it is estimated 400 million people across the globe are infected. These infections can be prevented, but most people don't know how.

An initiative known as RAPID (Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs), which is helping to remove illegal and prescription drugs from our streets by providing drug disposal bins, is to be rolled out across Northern Ireland after a successful pilot. This new initiative is just the latest in a wide range of coordinated action across agencies to reduce harm from the misuse of alcohol and drugs.

July is Sarcoma Cancer Awareness Month, so the Public Health Agency (PHA) is highlighting the key signs and symptoms of sarcoma cancer and is urging people to talk to their GP if they think something is wrong. Sarcomas are rare malignant tumours that arise from transformed cells of the connective tissues such as muscle, fat, cartilage or bone. Around 8 out of 10 sarcomas occur in soft tissue although they can affect any part of the body.

If you have just left school or are going to be a first-time university student the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging you to get the meningococcal vaccine. Everyone born between 2 July 1997 and 1 July 1999, and first time university students up to the age of 25, are entitled to the Men ACWY vaccine.