His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office yesterday launched the Health Promotion Blueprint 2011-2015 document and a book as well as a health promotion campaign at the Health Promotion Centre in Jln Menteri Besar.

His Royal Highness also viewed a health gallery, healthy lifestyle clinic exhibits, toured the health promotion campaign exhibition and launched the Health Promotion Centre website before witnessing a healthy food demonstration.

His Royal Highness was greeted on arrival by Minister of Health, Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Mohd Yusof and senior officers at the ministry.

The blueprint is a health promotion networking document which contains short- and medium-term strategies to promote a healthy lifestyle and to prevent and control the occurrence of chronic diseases in the Sultanate.

The Ministry of Health has carried out endless health promotion activities and health education to encourage a healthy lifestyle through healthy food intake, physical exercise and no smoking campaign in support of the call by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam towards nurturing a healthy lifestyle among citizens and residents in the Sultanate.

With the blueprint, steps to promote health among the community could be carried out effectively and decisively.

The blueprint encapsulates four strategic objectives with relevant actions such as to strengthen and assimilate health in public policies including reviewing acts and healthy public policies, as well as to establish innovative, quality and effective health promotion programmes like promoting healthy food, engaging in physical exercise, reducing weight and avoid smoking.

Others include to strengthen cooperation and sharing with other related government agencies, private sector, NGOs and the community, as well as to widen skills and expertise in carrying out health promotions.

Meanwhile, as part of the campaign, activities have been organised including health promotion premier walkathon this Sunday, April 24 at Taman Hj Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien in the capital starting at 6.30am, healthy cooking demonstration on April 29 by Royal Brunei Catering at 9am, Seri Kandi Restaurant at 2.30pm at the Health Promotion Centre cafeteria, Fit for Fun Treasure Hunt on May 1 at 6.30am at Jln Menteri Besar Recreational Park and a health promotion forum on May 5 at 8am. A bicyclethon will be held on May 8 at 6.30am at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Berakas.

In conjunction with the launching of the blueprint and health promotion campaign, the Ministry of Health and Royal Brunei Catering jointly introduced the new edition of RBC "Collection of Recipes" Vol 4, "Healthy Living", which was officially launched by His Royal Highness yesterday.

RBC General Manager, Hj Omar Ali bin Hj Mohd Daud expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Health, Language and Literature Bureau and the State Mufti's Office for their invaluable contributions to the publication.

The Ministry of Health assisted in providing all the nutritional and calorie counts, Language and Literature Bureau in translation, the State Mufti's Office for verifying the Halal status of all ingredients of the recipes and Islamic guidance in the new cookbook.

RBC Executive Sous Chef Barnitus Ang said the new cookbook comes in 197 pages with 78 recipes featuring all the healthy recipes towards healthy living including recipes like walnut soybean soup, eggwhite fritalta and lamb tagine to name a few. The cookbook was on sale after the launching. - Borneo Bulletin (21st April 2011)