Bandar Seri Begawan: The Ministry of Health will be carrying out a number of initiatives as part of its efforts to expand, refine and raise the quality of health care services for senior citizens in the country. The Minister of Health stated this during the launch of the Healthy Lifestyle Programme for Senior Citizens, yesterday, at the Kampong Perpindahan Lambak Kanan Civic Hall.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Adanan Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Mohamad Yusof, said the ministry will provide Geriatric medical services specifically for senior citizens. According to Yang Berhormat Pehin, the Ministry of Health presently employs two local consultants in the field of Geriatrics, while another is scheduled to return to the country in 2016.

In his speech at the launching ceremony, Yang Berhormat Pehin said the ministry is also working to upgrade the skills and expertise in various health professions such as health care, nursing and Allied Health Professionals such as medical welfare officers, physiotherapists, dieticians and staff who specialise in the field of geriatrics.

Yang Berhormat Pehin said that the Subacute Care facility will provide wards and rehabilitation programmes that are more conducive to senior citizens, and other amenities are being considered in the preparation of the Brunei Darussalam Health Systems and Infrastructure Master Plan.

The Ministry of Health is also planning to further increase the capacity and expand the roles being played by nursing treatment services, that is, by way of extending the existing Home-Based Nursing programme to senior citizens at their residences. This is a strategic plan of the ministry in its effort to integrate services specifically intended for senior citizens - between services provided from the hospital, at health clinics and homes - in stages and based on evaluations and support from doctors.

Ageing populations are a natural global phenomenon that cannot be avoided. The Geriatric and Palliative Medical Consultant, the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Dr. Ang Sik Kim in his keynote address entitled "Ageing and Health", among other things, touched on chronic diseases affecting senior citizens, including cancer, lung disease and diabetes.

Dr Ang said the ultimate key to preventing such diseases or minimising the risk of disease is practising a healthy lifestyle by way of healthy and balanced food intake; consuming food with lower sugar, salt and fat contents; eating more fruit and vegetables; by not smoking; and by practising regular exercise according to one's own physical capabilities.

The Healthy Lifestyle Programme aims to raise awareness amongst senior citizens on healthy lifestyle practices that they can adopt and maintain - such as healthy diets, regular physical exercise and avoiding tobacco - in order to age gracefully whilst remaining active and healthy. This programme runs for 12 weeks starting today, and is held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Certain specific days will be filled with health talks and physical activity sessions.

According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, senior citizens make up the most rapidly growing group of people throughout the world. The number of people aged 60 years and above has doubled since 1980.

It is meanwhile estimated that in 5 years, the number of people aged 65 and above will exceed the number of children below the age of 5 years. The trend of growth in number of residents aged 60 and above also applies to Brunei Darussalam, whereby their numbers increased from $13,900 or 4.3% of the total population in the year 2000 to $22,200, or 5.4% in 2010.

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Ministry of Health Launched Healthy Lifestyle Programme for Senior Citizens