Survey findings showed improved cancer screening participation, with cervical cancer screening among women aged 30-49 rising from 67.5 per cent to 74.1 per cent, ex- ceeding the World Health Organi- zation’s (WHO) 70 per cent target. Meanwhile, breast cancer screening participation rose from 11.1 per cent to 60.3 per cent in a year, Minister of Health Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said.
Initiatives implemented in efforts for improvement include registration for cancer risk assessments via the BruHealth app; the launch of a Breast Imaging Centre; and plans to procure a mobile mammogram unit estimated at more than BND1 million to increase screening coverage, he said at the second day of the Second Meeting of the 21st Legislative Council (LegCo) Session yesterday.
The method has been implemented by neighbouring countries and is expected to be fully utilised, especially by residents living in remote areas or who have difficulty accessing hospitals, he added.
In charting the path towards Brunei Vision 2035, the health sector plays a very important role as a nation can only stand strong if its people are healthy, energetic and resilient, said the minister.
Health is not just the absence of illness but the pillar of a more meaningful, productive, and prosperous life, hence the Ministry of Health expresses its full commitment to ensuring that every strategy, investment, and initiative contributes directly to the achievement of Brunei Vision 2035 goals.
He shared that under the implementation of this vision, the ministry is responsible for three National Key Performance Indicators: increasing life expectancy, reducing premature mortality rates due to non-communicable diseases, and community participation in health activities. All three indicators reflect the overall health level of the community.
“Although these indicators are important, health actually plays a greater role as a key catalyst for economic development, education and quality of life,” the minister said.
(News source: Borneo Bulletin)
