Over 70 nurses from secondary schools located islandwide benefitted from information disseminated by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) on April 24, at the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James. The nurses, who form a part of The School Nurses Special Interest Group of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, were attending their Annual General Meeting and Health Education Conference.

Speaking at the event, Hazel Loague, a nurse at Jamaica College, in Kingston said “I have benefitted significantly from the presentation made by JADCO. The sample collection process was explained and the careful and sterile way in which the process is carried out, points to the fact that it is highly unlikely that the sample can be contaminated, so I am now more convinced the results are credible”. She further added, “The knowledge of the substances on the banned list will help nurses to provide proper guidance to athletes and enable us to advise them on the prohibited substances”.

Also speaking at the event, Francene Hylton, a nurse at Mannings High School in Westmoreland said “It was a very informative and engaging presentation. I will share the knowledge I gained today with students and athlete support personnel”.

The presentation made by JADCO featured talks from Nadia Vassell, Director of Technical Services and Vanessa Reid, Director of Communication and Education, both of JADCO and medical practitioner, Dr. Lincoln Cox. As a result of the information shared the nurses were able to increase their knowledge of the functions and responsibilities of JADCO and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They were also informed of the Doping Control Process, the adverse impact that banned substances can have on athletes and the role nurses can play in the fight against doping in sport.

JADCO was formally established with the passage of the Anti-Doping in Sport Act, 2008 as the national anti-doping organisation. JADCO’s mandate is to foster a doping-free environment in Jamaica that promotes the ethics and spirit of sport and deters the use of banned doping practices in sport through education, testing, advocacy and programme coordination.

For further news, please contact us here.