MAJ Symposium 2026

THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2025

OPENING CEREMONY

1:45 p.m. Welcome & Opening Remarks – Dr. Leslie Meade President, MAJ

1:50 p.m. Greeting – Dr. Alfred Dawes, Opposition Spokesman on Health

1:55 pm Declaration of Opening of Symposium – Dr. The Hon. Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health and Wellness

Moderator:   Professor Colette Cunningham-Myrie

FEATURED LECTURE I

2:00 p.m. Elderly Care – where we are and where we plan to go? – Dr. Kemisha Shaw-Kelly

2:30 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session I –  AGEING ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN / JAMAICA

2:40 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: Partners Heart and Health

2:45 p.m. Jamaica, an ageing society: Population trends and implications – Professor Denise Eldemire-Shearer

3:05 p.m. Healthy Ageing: New approaches to care of older persons – Dr. Kayon Donaldson-Davis

3:25 p.m. Q/A Discussion

SESSION II – TEETH AND JOINTS: AGEING GRACEFULLY, A MYTH OR REALITY?

3:40 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: Abbott Nutrition

3:45 p.m. Healthy Ageing and Oral Health – Dr. Wendy Chuck-Francis

4:05 p.m. Ageing & Dental Implants – Dr. Pierre-John Holmes 

4:25 p.m. Ageing and Rheumatological Disease: Measures to Advance Healthy Longevity – Dr. Stacy Davis

4:45 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session III – EMPOWERING SENIORS: SURVIVAL IN THE DIGITAL AGE

5:00 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: Sterling Asset Management

5:05 p.m. Financial Independence and Dignity in Ageing – Mrs. Patricia Henry-Brown

5:25 p.m. Digital Security – Mr. Dane Nicholson

5:50 p.m. Investment Mistakes Seniors Should Avoid – Mrs. Toni-Ann Neita-Elliott

6:20 p.m. Q/A Discussion

CME Request: 4 HRS

FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025

MENTAL HEALTH WORKSHOP

Moderator: Dr. Earl Wright

11:00 a.m. Workshop Sponsor: Medical Council of Jamaica

11:05 a.m. Dr. Gillian Lowe & Dr. Delmore Tyrell

12:00 p.m. Caring for the Caregiver – Professor Wendel Abel

12:45 p.m. Question & Answer

 01:00 p.m. MAJ Sponsor: Viatris

SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS

Moderator: Dr. Deron Reid

Session IV –  SARAH’S OPTIONS: FERTILITY IN THE OLDER WOMAN

2:00 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: CIBC

2:05 p.m. Fertility Options in the Older Woman – Dr. Sharifa Frederick

2:25 p.m. Pregnancy and Advanced Maternal Age – Dr. Claudia Allen-Burton

2:45 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session V – INFECTIONS IN ELDERLY: BEST FRIEND OR FOE?

3:00 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: Alpha-Med Global Limited

3:05 p.m. Optimizing Recovery from Sepsis in the Elderly – Dr. Kathy-Ann Pate-Robinson

3:25 p.m. Animals & Healthy Ageing: Pet Therapy and the Elderly – Dr. Paul Cadogan

3:45 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session VI – DEMENTIAS – SOLVING THE DIAGNOSTIC & CARE PUZZLE

4:00 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation:

4:05 p.m. Diagnosing Dementias: Role of Imaging and Biomarkers – Dr. Marie Williams

4:25 p.m. Dementia Care and the Psychologist – Dr. Kai Morgan

4:45 p.m. Dementia Care Team: Advances in the holistic care of dementias – Mrs. Sheryl Garriques-Lloyd

5:05 p.m. Q/A Discussion

FEATURED LECTURE II

5:20 p.m. From the Womb to the World: The Concept of Fetal Programming – Dr. Cathy Maddan

5:50 p.m. Q/A Discussion

CME Request:

6 HRS (including 2 Hrs Mental Health)

SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2025

SICKLE CELL WORKSHOP – “Living Well with Sickle Cell Disease”

Moderator:         Dr. Brian James              

9:00 a.m.            Sickle Cell Disease: Changing the Course

9:40 a.m. Ageing & Building Resilience with SCD        

10:20 a.m. Panel Discussion – Sustaining Wellness across the Lifespan     

SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS

(STREAM A)

Moderator:  Dr. Leo-Paul Powell

Session VII –    SURGERY & REHABILITATION IN THE OLDER ADULT

11:30 a.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: Aventa Jamaica

11:35 a.m. Prostate and the Elderly Male – BPH, Prostate Cancer – Dr. Belinda Morrison-Blidgen

11:55 a.m. The Importance of Post-surgical Rehabilitation in the Elderly: Contribution of the Orthopaedic Surgeon to

Long-Term Wellness – Dr. Maxim Christmas

12:15 p.m. Do you see what eye see? – Professor Lizette Mowatt

12:35 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session VIII – CRITICAL CARE AND THE ELDERLY: WASTE NOT, WANT NOT!

12:50 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: Royal Winchester Hospital Group

12:55 p.m. The Silent Epidemic: Responding to the operative needs of Jamaica’s ageing population – Dr. P. Jason Toppin

1:15 p.m.  Importance of post ICU Rehabilitation – Dr. Stephen Royes

1:35 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session IX –   INNOVATIONS AT THE CROSSROAD OF CANCER AND AGEING 

1:50 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: PRECISION IMAGING

1:55 p.m. Surgical Management of Cancers in the Elderly – Dr. Patrick Roberts

2:15 p.m. Chemotherapeutics as Adjuvants In Surgical Management of Cancers In The Elderly – Dr. Garfield Forbes                                                                 

2:35 p.m. Q/A Discussion

(STREAM B)

Moderator:  Dr. Anona Griffith

Session X – REHABILITATION AND NURSING OF THE OLDER ADULT

11:30 a.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: Lasco Distributors

11:35 a.m. Physiotherapy for Healthy Ageing – Dr. Sonja Williams

11:55 a.m. Rehabilitation and Functional Mobility – Dr. Paula Dawson

12:15 p.m. Cardiac Rehabilitation – Dr. Paula Dawson

12:35 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session XI – PAEDIATRIC INNOVATIONS IN PERINATAL CARE & FIRST 1000 DAYS

12:50 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation:

12:55 p.m. Measure what we treasure: using data to improve child health and well-being in Jamaica

– Professor Helen Trotman-Edwards

1:15 p.m. Early Diagnosis and Intervention for Biliary Atresia – Dr. Simone Dundas Byles

1:35 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session XII – PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION: TEEN PLAY

1:50 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation:

1:55 p.m. Preparticipation Cardiovascular Screening of young competitive athletes – Dr. Handel Emery

2:15 p.m. Gaming and Adolescent Mental Health – Dr. Winston De La Haye et al

2:35 p.m. Q/A Discussion

FEATURED LECTURE III

2:50 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: MAJIF

2:55 p.m. The Enduring Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Later Life – Dr. Ganesh Shetty

3:25 p.m. Q/A Discussion

CME Request: 10 HRS (including 4 Hrs for Recorded Session)

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2025

ETHICS WORKSHOP

Moderator:         Professor Marvin Reid

                          Panel Discussion – Ageism and the Ethics of Care of the Older Person

9:00 a.m.            Panelist Presentations: Dr. Julian Devonish & Ms. Sandra Latibeaudiere

10:00 a.m.          Q/A Discussion

10:55 a.m.          Sponsor’s Presentation: APOTEX/ CARIMED

11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.      VIEWING OF EXHIBITS / COFFEE BREAK

FEATURED LECTURE IV – Mike D’Silva Memorial Lecture

Moderator: Dr. Pollyanna Howell-Chang

11:30 a.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: NATIONAL HEALTH FUND

11:35 a.m. Mike D’Silva Lecture – Ageing and the promise of healthy longevity – Sir George Alleyne  

12:20 p.m. Q/A Discussion

12:30 – 1:15 p.m.   LUNCH/ VIEWING OF EXHIBITS  

SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS (Empowering DM & HTN Prevention)

Moderator:  Dr. Victor Elliott

Session XIII – AGEING & REJUVENATION: BRAIN & KIDNEY – TWO SIDES OF A COIN.

1:15 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: APEX RADIOLOGY

1:20 p.m. Memory, Health and Ageing – Dr. Miguel Paniagua 

1:40 p.m. Transcranial Pulse Stimulation and Neurostimulation: breaking the neuroregeneration barrier – Dr. Francene Gayle

2:00 p.m. Ageing and Kidney Health – Dr. Adedamola Soyibo

2:20 p.m. Q/A Discussion

Session XIV LIVING MY BEST LIFE – NAVIGATING THE JOURNEY

2:40 p.m. Sponsor’s Presentation: INDUS LIFE SCIENCES

2:45 p.m. Healthy Ageing: Nutrition for Healthy Longevity – Dr. Vanessa White- Barrow

3:05 p.m. Healthy Ageing: The Mental Health Guide – Dr. Roger Roberts

3:25 p.m. Healthy Ageing: Navigating Chronic Illnesses- Dr. Karen Phillips

3:45 p.m. Q/A Discussion

4:00p.m. CLOSING CEREMONY

CME Request:

6 HRS (including 2 Hrs Ethics)