BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Health Promotion Centre (HPC) has observed an increase in demand for its health talks among private and government schools in the Sultanate.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Dr Hjh Norol-Ehsan Hj Abdul Hamid, a medical officer at the HPC, said the centre has received many requests from various agencies, especially schools.

“They would usually invite us over to give health talks and screenings at their schools and some organisations as well. In a month, there are about two to three (requests) on an average,” she said.

The HPC has introduced several programmes in the health and medical sectors, including the Breast Cancer Awareness Outreach Programme introduced in November 2014.

She said more public and private primary schools have requested for health talks from educational talks on general hygiene and cleanliness to stress-management, infectious diseases and teenage pregnancy.

“We at HPC have all sorts of programmes targeting all age groups varying from schoolchildren to adults,” said Dr Hjh Norol-Ehsan, adding that the centre’s health galleria has been getting positive feedback from learning institutions across the districts.

The health galleria, covering a range of topics which include stress, sexually transmitted diseases and oral hygiene, among others, has been quite popular among the pre-teens, she said.

“The gallery at the centre not only displays various oral care health products and equipments but it is also interactive, students enjoy that sort of trip,” said Dr Hjh Norol-Ehsan.

“We have been getting a lot educational visits from school children, especially during the school holiday season. We get visits from different schools almost every day,” the medical officer said, noting the rapid increase in the interest of science among the youth.

Besides schools, private companies and retail banks have also requested health screenings and programmes related to weight loss from the centre.

The Brunei Times