Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - Education plays a major role in the creation of awareness and understanding of personal risks for heart disease and promoting preventive measures, the Minister of Education said yesterday.

Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Rahman Dato Seri Setia Hj Mohamed Taib was speaking during the launch of Healthy Heart Day at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).

A collaborative effort by UBD and the Institute of Medicine, the first ever Healthy Heart Day for the ministry was organised in conjunction with World Heart Day, which fell on August 21, 2008.

With this year's theme being "Know your risk", the event was held as part of a worldwide campaign to curb heart disease and educate people about the risks of the world's biggest killer.

The Vice-Chancellor of UBD, Dr Hj Zulkarnain Hj Hanafi, said in his opening address that a number

of chronic diseases, including heart disease, frequently affect those in their "employment years".

He then called for more awareness and understanding of personal risks for heart disease and preventive measures, including in the workplace, adding that excellence in physical, mental or spiritual health is the basis for increased productivity.

The minister agreed with the vice-chancellor, saying that a healthy body produces a healthy mind, which is essential for socio-cultural progress.

Healthy lifestyles can lead to an increase in worker productivity, reduction in absenteeism and lower costs of medical care, among other benefits.

In the field of education, he said that incorporating health matters into mainstream learning and practices is a significant development.

No longer confined within the academic realm, there is a greater general awareness of the importance of improving and maintaining health.

"To be educated should not only be reflected in the manner of our socio-cultural status or our economic standing, but it should also be seen in the adoption of a healthy lifestyle," he said.

Pehin Dato Hj Rahman noted that good health is usually never appreciated until it is gone, and all material acquisitions and wealth fail to have worth in the face of illness and disease.

He also said that many take their good health for granted, and so are complacent about maintaining it, busy as they are with their material pursuits.

Celebrating occasions such as Healthy Heart Day would then be an attempt to "awaken a consciousness towards something that no material wealth can buy", he said, adding that heart disease is the biggest killer after cancer.

He suggested regular exercise, a balanced diet and a smoking-free environment as essential to avert the occurrence of heart disease.

In addition, regular checkups can help identify one's risk factors. Although a few factors such as age, gender and genetic make-up cannot be modified, health screenings can help to control and significantly reduce others.

Yesterday's Healthy Heart Day included talks by representatives from the Institute of medicine, Dr Zaw Wint and Siti Rohaiza Hj Ahmad entitled "Living in a healthy way" and "Nutrition and calories", respectively.

There were also aerobics exercise and yoga demonstrations by students of the Institute of Medicine, health check performed by students and staff of the Institute of Medicine and students from Pg Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah College of Nursing, and a blood donation drive by Ripas Hospital. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times