Answer for Oral Question PL097

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Awang Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG ABDUL AZIZ BIN HAJI HAMDAN asked the MENTERI KESIHATAN to state the collaborative efforts undertaken by the Ministry with the education sector, community and private sector in fostering health awareness from a young age.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Kesihatan

The Ministry of Health, through the Health Promotion Centre, has collaborated with various sectors to foster health awareness from a young age. This approach involves the education sector, community and private sector, with the aim of continuously cultivating a healthy lifestyle.

With the education sector, close collaboration is carried out with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Among the initiatives implemented are raising awareness of the dangers of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes through educational materials appropriate to the relevant age groups, implementing a 10-minute mobility break every day in schools, as well as reviewing food menus in boarding schools and Arabic schools to ensure the provision of healthier food.

In addition, the science curriculum also incorporates elements of healthy eating and the dangers of smoking to provide students with early exposure. Since 2023, the Sekolah Mempromosi Kesihatan concept has also been introduced with the support of Gleneagles JPMC. This programme, recommended by the World Health Organization, aims to create a school environment conducive to practising a healthy lifestyle. It is currently implemented in government and private schools, involving both primary and secondary schools.

At the community level, Brunei Bebas Buli workshops have been conducted with the involvement of counselling teachers and the Parents and Teachers Association (PIBG), to raise awareness of bullying issues. The ACE (Active and Admirable, Charismatic and Excellent) programme provides adolescents and parents with an opportunity to discuss reproductive health issues more openly and effectively.

Meanwhile, together with the private sector, the Ministry implements the Workplace and Health (WAH) programme, which encourages healthy lifestyle practices in the workplace. This programme supports employers in providing smoke-free work environments, encouraging physical activity, healthy eating and mental well-being.

This cross-sectoral approach demonstrates the Ministry of Health’s continued commitment to cultivating a healthy lifestyle from a young age through to adulthood, in line with the nation’s aspiration to produce a healthy, productive and resilient population.