Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha yesterday attended a premier talk for the Knowledge Convention entitled, 'The Crucial Role of Women in Generating Family's Spiritual and Physical Health' which supports the theme of the 2012 Knowledge Convention, 'Health Blessings, the Basis for the Nation's Prosperity'.

Also present were HRH Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman, HRH Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah, YAM Pengiran Bini Hajah Faizah, HRH Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah, HRH Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah, HRH Princess Hajah Masna and HRH Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam.

The talk was delivered by Associate Professor Dr Hjh Roselina binti Dato Paduka Hj Yaakub, a local consultant in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for 22 years, who has vast experience in early child development and women's health, and has carried out research in the field.

Dr Hjh Roselina touched on the development of an Islamic family, whereby the important aspects include correct marriage intention; pious and having a strong foothold to Islamic beliefs, norms and values; showing love, tenderness and tolerance; understanding towards each other's welfare; as well as developing trustworthiness and responsibility in guiding and educating the children.

She also covered the aspects of the wisdom and benefits of marriage, including preventing oneself from contracting sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS, syphilis and others that can harm the lineage or cause deaths; as well as to ease and control one's spiritual desire and lust.

On the other hand, Dr Hjh Roselina also highlighted the role of women in a family, community and the nation in terms of the reproductive aspect, which is to bring about reproductive offspring; as well as in terms of the productivity aspect, such as their involvement in socio-economic development and in their caring for the family and the community.

It is also important to generate family's spiritual health protection through the recitation of Quranic verses and prayer to Allah the Almighty, added Dr Hjh Roselina.

Touching on matter of expectancy, it was told that the behaviour of an expecting mother will bring significant impacts on the shaping of the characteristics and soul of a child.

On the health status in the Sultanate, it was highlighted that cancer tops the list of four major causes of deaths last year with 20.7 per cent, followed by heart diseases (14.8 per cent), diabetes (9.4 per cent) and stroke (7.0 per cent). That being said, the main causes of such chronic non-communicable diseases are due to lack of physical exercise, having an unhealthy diet and also smoking. According to the comprehensive health examination and health promotion for civil service in 2007-2010, 40.4 per cent of men and 33.9 per cent of women were pre-obese, while 22.6 per cent of men and 27.1 per cent of women were obese.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, Dato Paduka Awg Hj Abdul Wahab bin Juned in his welcoming remarks said that the premier talk explored several issues based on research findings on the role of parents as role models in shaping a credible society.

Following the talk, Her Majesty and other members of the royal family viewed an exhibition focussing on life-long healthcare portrayed in stages, from an individual, to family and the community. Her Majesty also toured the Memorial Hall of the late father of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien.

Exhibits portraying the Islamic medical concept highlighting on Darusysyifa' Warrafahah, artefacts of health heritage in Brunei, and the Brunei Darussalam Healthcare Information and Management System (Bru-HIMS) were among those put on display at the exhibition. - Borneo Bulletin (13 September 2012)