HEALTH PROMOTION BOARD

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HEALTH PROMOTION BOARD

3.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for Health what is the role of the Health Promotion Board with regard to enhancing education of the public on their health.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Health Promotion Board (HPB) is the lead agency for national health promotion, health education and disease prevention. It carries out health education and promotes healthy lifestyles to the general population.

HPB conceptualises, develops and implements health promotion programmes that reach out to specific sectors of the population. Programmes for children include health education, myopia prevention, health screening and immunisation and provision of basic dental services in schools. Programmes for the adults and elderly include the National Healthy Lifestyle Programme, National Smoking Control Programme, Nutrition Programme, Workplace Health Promotion Programme, Mental Health Education Programme, Community Health Screening and Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Programmes. Details of these programmes can be found at the HPB website (www.hpb.gov.sg). Many of these programmes are expanded to target specific high risk groups to improve their effectiveness and health outcomes.

HPB cannot do this alone. It collaborates with many partners in the public, private and people sectors as well as grassroots organisations to effectively reach out to the target groups. HPB also works closely with the media to provide the public with the necessary information and skills to adopt healthy practices and be more aware of matters related to their health.