A Nation Of Healthy People

Govt Acts To Create A Nation Of Healthy People

PORT DICKSON, June 11 (Bernama) -- The government is turning words into deeds in its desire to create a nation of healthy people.

Today it announced a plan to establish a community health promotion centre in every state under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010).

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his speech at the launch of the national-level healthy lifestyle campaign here. The text of Abdullah's speech was read out by Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan.

Abdullah said these community health promotion centres would provide health packages that would enhance the people's knowledge and skills in four areas: healthy eating, engaging in physical activity, cultivating a healthy mind, and refraining from smoking.

A pilot project has been established at the Seberang Jaya Community Health Clinic in Penang, he said.

"The establishment of these centres is to realise the government's desire for the people of Malaysia to be healthy and well," said Abdullah.

He said the primary challenge the government faced in building a society that practised a healthy lifestyle at all times was changing the behavioural pattern of the society.

The prime minister said it was not easy to alter the behavioural pattern of society, adding that it could not be achieved overnight.

"We need much time to ensure that society not only changes its behavioural pattern but also maintains the new practice continuously," he said.

He said the government did not wish to have a situation where the people engaged in physical exercise and consumed healthy food for some time and then went back to their old ways.

The prime minister said that understanding the difficulty in changing a society's behavioural pattern, the government was encouraging promotion of a healthy lifestyle by establishing the relevant infrastructure and services.

Abdullah said the government, through the Health Ministry, always gave serious attention to the provision of excellent health facilities for the people.

Up to 2003, he said, the Health Ministry had established 117 hospitals, 864 health clinics, 1,847 rural clinics and 95 maternal and child health clinics in the country.

Abdullah also said that the situation of non-infectious ailments, particularly cardiovascular disease, that the nation faced now was most serious and worrying.

"Therefore, the government through the Health Ministry always strived to enhance health education and promotion among the people," he said.

Abdullah said one cause of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity was the lack of physical activity.

The prime minister said the government's desire to create a nation of healthy people would not be achieved without the commitment of every individual and organisation in the society.

"Every member of society must play his or her respective role in helping the Health Ministry to realise its vision of building a healthy and active Malaysian society," he said.

Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek was also present at the launch of the three-day campaign.

-- BERNAMA