| Azlan Othman |
THE Ministry of Health through the Health Promotion Centre, in collaboration with the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) students undergoing internship, continue to support the drinking plain water policy by enacting the ‘Lakas Tah Minum Air Kosong 2018’ campaign at religious schools.
The Pengiran Anak Puteri Norain Religious School in Tutong became the first religious school to adopt the plain water drink policy.
The opening of the campaign began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa. This followed with a welcome speech by Assistant Headmistress Pengiran Armah binti Pengiran Haji Apong and a speech by the guest of honour, Assistant Officer Morslin bin Haji Noralimin from the Tutong District Islamic Studies Department.
After the campaign launch, a UBD internship student delivered a health briefing, highlighting the importance of drinking plain water and the dangers of consuming sugary drink excessively.
The event included a health quiz, water drinking competition for pre-school pupils, puzzle-solving contest for Years 1 and 2 students, slogan design contest for Year 3 students, and a poster-making competition for Years 4, 5 and 6 students. The event concluded with a presentation of prizes to the contest winners.
The campaign hopes to cultivate among students the habit of consuming water at school. In doing so, it will indirectly alter their habits from consuming high-sugar drinks to drinking plain water, and hopefully reduce their sugar intake.
Such efforts are crucial to help reduce the high sugar intake at a young age. This is in view of the findings of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2011) showing that 34.6 per cent of children (aged five to 14) consumed daily high-sugar drinks. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all parties – including parents and stakeholders – to suggest that children drink water to produce a future generation that is healthier.
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