The Ministry of Health (MoH) is committed to advancing the health and well-being of the nation’s residents by implementing a highquality and comprehensive healthcare system. This system is designed to be effective, efficient, responsive, affordable, equitable and accessible to all individuals in the country.
Aligned with a political commitment to adopt a ‘whole of nation’ approach, the ministry has undergone a thorough restructuring to ensure that its organisational structure is in harmony with its overarching mission. As such, three strategic priorities have been identified by the ministry: instilling the belief that ‘Health is Everyone’s Business,’ addressing and managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and delivering outstanding services through alignment and consolidation.
Non-communicable disease prevention
The prevalence of conditions such as high blood pressure and heart diseases is attributed to high salt consumption in Brunei, which stands at 10 grammes per day. This is twice the recommended amount set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In a concerted effort to address the escalating concern of NCDs within the nation, the ministry launched the National Strategy for Salt Reduction 2023-2030 in May 2023. This strategic initiative serves as a comprehensive guide towards attaining the national objective of a 15 per cent reduction in salt intake by 2030.
The strategy aims to curb NCDs in the Sultanate by implementing effective and sustainable practices, particularly in the realm of healthy eating.
This strategy, released for immediate implementation, outlines a set of recommended actions for all involved ministries and stakeholders to reach the specified goals, calling on all stakeholders, including government sectors, private sectors, higher institutions, the food industry, and the community, to provide full cooperation, commitment, and support for the implementation of the strategy aimed at reducing salt intake among the population in Brunei Darussalam.
MOH Cares 2.0
To further enhance its public services, the ministry unveiled MOH Cares 2.0 app in April 2023. Through this app, the public can provide feedback, express appreciation, or offer recommendations for MoH services and related matters.
MOH Cares 2.0 serves as an upgrade to the original MOH Cares launched in August 2018. The new app introduces features such as anonymous feedback, service ratings, and QR code scanning to identify different health facilities. It enables the ministry to monitor user satisfaction and address issues for ongoing improvements.
App administrators can also use the platform to communicate with users, provide contact information for various health facilities, and facilitate appointments with corporate relation division officers.
New lab test and ambulance fleet
In its ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare services nationwide, MoH through the Department of Laboratory Services introduced nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital.
This initiative aims to detect bloodborne diseases at an earlier stage, thereby reducing the ‘window period’ between an individual’s initial exposure to the virus and the time when the disease becomes detectable through laboratory testing.
The implementation of NAAT aligns with the WHO’s recommendations and is already used by neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand to identify diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Conducted alongside existing screening tests, NAAT enhances the safety of blood components by identifying infections earlier in the process, using molecular techniques to multiply the existing virus. This proactive approach to early detection aligns with MoH’s strategic plan to enhance patient healthcare safety and quality, as well as the objectives outlined in the Global Patient Safety Action Plan.
In response to the rising number of medical emergency calls, a fleet of 30 new ambulances was incorporated into the nation’s emergency services last December.
With a consistent annual increase of 10 per cent in emergency calls over the past five years, paramedics and dedicated ambulance staff have successfully responded to over 73,000 emergency calls during this period. The new vehicles replaced some of the older ambulances. In total, the number of ambulances increased from 19 to 34 units.