Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - The dissemination of new knowledge and transfer of medical technology can assist in the monitoring, prevention and treatment of diseases, said the Minister of Health, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman, who was speaking during the 9th Asean Health Ministers Meeting held recently in the Philippines.

In relation to the meeting's theme: "Trade Liberalisation: Its Adverse Impacts on Our Borderless Health Problems", Pehin Dato Hj Suyoi touched on the effects of trade liberalisation from health perspective. Hesaid that further establishments of foreign trade and investments have provided more job opportunities. But at the same time he also stressed the need to monitor the negative effects such as establishment of dual market, inconsistency in health service and brain drain issues.

"Public health safety is affected through the spreading of infectious diseases and the unsafe movement of consumer products," the minister said.

He suggested the need to step up the management of food and health through effective oversight and control.

During a retreat session, Asean health ministers reprimanded the deliberate usage of melamine in food by irresponsible authorities.

They unanimously agreed the industrial chemical melamine should not be added deliberately in food.

They also exchanged ideas and agreed on taking steps to tackle regional and international health issues especially on the preparedness for influenza pandemic, natural disasters, and food quality and safety.

Among topics of discussions include the involvement of health sector in realising the Asean Charter and the drafting of Asean Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint.

The two-day meeting was preceded by a preparatory senior officials meeting scheduled on October 7-8.

Representing Brunei in this meeting was Health Permanent Secretary, Dato Paduka Hj Abd Salam Abd Momin.

There were also deliberations on cooperation on various fields and technical issues such as Asean Plus Three Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme, renewal of Memorandum of Understanding between Asean and World Health Organisation (WHO), and to finalise the requirements of trade-related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Safeguards and the establishment of Asean working committee on Food Safety.

The 9th Asean Health Ministers meeting was opened on Friday by Dr Francisco Duque, III, Philippines' health secretary.

The Asean health ministers also met with their counterparts from China, Japan and Korea to discuss regional collaboration in public health, in particular in the attainment of health objectives. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times