| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE Ministry of Health (MoH) penned a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a collaborative venture with Gleneagles JPMC Sdn Bhd yesterday at the Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre (PJSC) in Jerudong.
Signing the agreement on behalf of the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam was Deputy Permanent Secretary (Professional) at the MoH Dr Haji Zulaidi bin Haji Abdul Latif.
Signing on behalf of Gleneagles JPMC was its Chief Executive Officer Dr Peter Tay.
The MoU signing was witnessed by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar and Chairman of Gleneagles JPMC’s Board of Directors and Group Chief Operating Officer of IHH Healthcare Berhad Dr Lim Suet Wun.
In his welcoming address, Dr Lim punctuated the importance of the MoU for both the MoH and Gleneagles JPMC in strengthening and synergising existing efforts to promote healthy lifestyles and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Brunei Darussalam, with particular focus on promoting physical activity at government workplaces and community settings.
The agreement will see Gleneagles JPMC Sdn Bhd funding two major projects under the MoH’s Health Promotion Centre – the Workplace and Health (WAH!) Programme and the Happy Environment and Lifestyle (HEAL) Programme – as part of Gleneagles JPMC Sdn Bhd’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.
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Gleneagles JPMC will be pumping BND120,000 towards the projects under the MoU, one of the largest contributions made by a private entity to the MoH and one of the biggest public-private partnerships (PPP) ever entered into by the MoH.
The goal of the WAH! Programme is to encourage workplaces to provide a supportive environment and initiate actions to enable employees to be more active, eat healthier, be smoke-free, and be in a good mental state.
The programme also aims to catalyse the rolling out of workplace healthy lifestyle programmes or workplace health promotion programmes in all government ministries by 2021.
The objective of the HEAL Programme, meanwhile, is to support physical activity interventions in community settings through building, strengthening and maintaining social networks that create opportunities for physical activities.
The programme aims to enhance awareness and knowledge on the various health benefits of regular physical activity and discourage sedentary behaviours within community settings.
It also seeks to engage and form partnerships with the community, schools, private businesses and health centres, as well as sports and recreational stakeholders to encourage people to participate in culturally appropriate physical activities.
Apart from the two projects, Gleneagles JPMC will also be working closely with the MoH and rendering their support to raise public awareness on the importance of healthy living by holding events to commemorate international health days, such as World Heart Day, World No Tobacco Day, World Diabetes Day and other related observances.
