Bandar Seri Begawan - The Deputy Permanent Secretary (Professional & Technical) at the Ministry of Health, Dr Dyg Hjh Norlila bte Dato Paduka Hj Abd Jalil highlighted the growing global concern of cardiovascular diseases, stating the necessity for enhanced awareness and the need to work closely together to curb the endemic that is plaguing millions around the world.

She was speaking in her capacity as the guest of honour at the Gleneagles Jerudong Park Medical Centre (GJPMC) 3rd Cardiology Nursing and Allied Health Care Professionals Conference held at the Samudera Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel & Country Club on Sunday.

The numbers are staggering, as she revealed by- 2030, almost 25 million will die from cardiovascular diseases with the majority from heart disease and stroke and projected to remain the single leading cause of death.

The local numbers are also worrying, as Dr Dyg Hjh Norlila said cardiovascular diseases from last year accounted for 27 per cent of 1,235 deaths in the country

Dr Dyg Hjh Norlila further emphasised the respective roles that the participants of the conference play in the care of their patients, thus the special gathering of nurses and allied professionals involved in the care of cardiac patients is appropriate with a focus study on key issues and the latest developments in cardiac management.

She also brought to mind that cardiac nurses and allied professionals must possess a high level of skill and competency, with a high team spirit to ensure efficient care of patients.

On the current development, she also hoped that the country's healthcare system embraces a more diverse range of specialties. She further lauded the significant establishment of the Cardiac Centre at the RIPAS Hospital and added that the collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Gleneagles JPMC since August 2002 has generated an extensive range of cardiac treatment, and hence reduced the referral of patients overseas for cardiac treatments such as coronary angiography, electrophysiological study and heart surgery.

Dr Dyg Hjh Norlila was impressed with the increase in local nurses and allied health professionals specialising in cardiology complemented with the increase in Bruneian cardiologists. She said by the end of the year, Brunei will have three local consultants in cardiology with their own subspecialty interests.

Though she added that the numbers are still not enough to cope with local demand, she hopes that more local doctors and specialist nurses and allied health professionals in cardiology would give their services to government hospitals and Gleneagles JPMC.

Lifestyle changes have certainly contributed to heart diseases, mainly from causes such as economic transition, urbanisation, industrialisation and globalisation.

She also stressed the need on the prevention and control of the disease.

Earlier, a welcoming speech was made by Dr Peter Tay, CEO of Gleneagles JPMC. The speakers of the one-day conference were from Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

A wide range of topics on cardiology practices for about 200 nurses and allied health care professionals were discussed, with many of them coming from Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Brunei.

Six Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) accreditation points were awarded by the CNE Unit, Ministry of Health for the event.

The conference has successfully brought together nurses, allied healthcare professionals and international delegates to share and exchange knowledge on best practices and raise the standards in cardiology.