The nation's responsibility in ensuring good health was the topic on the table when His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam attended the opening ceremony of the National Convention on Health Promotion 2004 yesterday at the International Convention Centre in Berakas.

His Majesty in his titah stressed upon the framework international convention on tobacco control that the country has recently signed on June 4, 2004.

"It is an international legislation to protect the current and future generations from the bad consequences of the use of tobacco and exposure to cigarette smoke," the monarch said.

His Majesty noted that issues referring to smoking should not only mention the wastage of money and the effect the habit has on morals, but also realise that smoking is a global disaster threatening the health and lives of people all around the world.

His Majesty therefore hopes that through this convention, efforts to promote health among the residents of Brunei should be continued. The monarch pointed out that the maintenance of the nation's health is not the sole task of the Ministry of Health but a burden that each individual should shoulder. Hence, he cited his appreciation for the active participation by other ministries like the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the State Mufti's Office have taken in health promotion.

"Health is mankind's greatest reward to allow us to enjoy prosperity," His Majesty pointed out. "For a country, health is an important asset to allow the people to develop."

His Majesty added that the top five causes of deaths in the country are non-infectious chronic diseases. In 2002, statistics show the causes of deaths in Brunei as heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and bronchitis.

The monarch also said that the global death rate caused by non-infectious diseases is on the rise, reaching 66 per cent at last count in developing countries. "Moreover it claims the life of the young ones and Brunei itself is not spared from experiencing similar epidemiology transitions since more than a decade ago."

"This issue should be taken into serious consideration by enhancing the preventive measures through health promotion. It is a process that enables every individual to become more caring, informed and capable of upgrading the status of their health in a holistic way.

Towards this, the National Committee for Health Promotion has identified seven programmes that cover tobacco control, food, physical activities and mental health.

"A Disease Control Order and Public Health Food Act have been enforced in recent years while the government is currently working on a Tobacco Control Order and the Mental Health Act," the Sultan said.

His Majesty hopes that the Ministry of Health and those involved will take proactive measures to implement these laws thoroughly.

In addition, the streamlining of health promotion should be to ensure that the concept of 'health is everyone's business' can be assimilated in the local community.

Also present were His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Pg. Muda Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, HRH Prince Abdul Azim and HRH Prince Abdul Malik. During the ceremony, His Majesty also presented prizes to the winners of the Special Award for School Health Promotion. In the college and secondary schools category, the gold award went to Pg. Jaya Negara Pg Hj Abu Bakar in Belait District who clinched a $10,000 cash prize, a trophy and a certificate.

In the primary school category, Amar Pahlawan Primary School in the Brunei-Muara District received the gold award and walked away with similar prizes. His Majesty later a presentation of an aerobics exercise and an exhibition. . - Borneo Bulletin