With spring just around the corner the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding pregnant women about the risk of close contact with sheep during lambing season. The PHA is advising women who are, or think they may be, pregnant to reduce their risk of miscarriage and infection by avoiding close contact with sheep during lambing season, which runs from February until around the end of April. Dr Gerry Waldron, Assistant Director of Public Health (Health Protection) at the PHA, said: “Pregnant women who come into close contact with sheep during lambing may be risking their own health and that of

During Salt Awareness Week (4-10 March) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding everyone of the dangers of eating too much salt and advising that moderation is key. Caroline Bloomfield, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Senior Manager at the PHA, said: “A very small amount of salt is an essential part of our diet; however, often without realising it, most of us are eating too much and this can have health impacts. “Too much salt in our diet can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease, some of the leading causes of disability and death in Northern Ireland. It can also contribute

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is using Self-Harm Awareness Day to encourage people who are affected by self-harm, including families and carers, to seek support. Dr Denise O’Hagan, Public Health Consultant with the PHA, said: “People self-harm for various reasons and are usually experiencing severe emotional distress. Self-harm is when a person harms themselves through injury or poisoning and it can take many different forms. It may be something which is kept hidden from others. For some people, self-harm is a way of coping with and communicating their distress, but for others it can be