HPB Voices Reloaded
May - June 2008
This section features events happening around HPB. The articles are contributed by HPB Staff who are also participants of their respective events.
26 on the Tree-Top:
A hiking adventure by HPB Walking Enthusiasts
By Lubna Abdul Razak, Secretary, Healthy Workforce Committee
The time was 7.48 am. Coming out of Novena MRT, the weather outside looked promising. I wondered to myself, "Surely the windy, cloudy weather will hold till the end of our walk?" I had armed myself with sunglasses, sprayed mosquito repellent and slapped on anti-UV cream just in case - I was ready! Leaving my handphone at home, my mission was to get to know fellow HPBians who had volunteered for this adventure on the famed Tree-Top Walk.
There was Jalal greeting cheerily to arrivals at the bus-stop. 
Already waiting at the entrance of Mac Ritchie Reservoir were Ah Lek, Cheryl and her friend, Qi Xiang. Mary brought along her two teenage nephews. Sandra and Alex were next. Along came Sukanya, her young son Sushanth, Sarjit and her young daughter, Bash. Liz was flanked by four friends. Just when I thought the group could not get any bigger, Savi arrived with four family members and Rapiah joined us too. Jalal, who had generously offered us bananas and buns, then warned us to finish eating our bananas before the trip or the monkeys may just snatched them away!
(Before the Walk) Posing for the camera outside HSBC Tree-Top Walk
The reservoir area was packed with walkers, joggers, photographers, school groups and even couples. Our first laugh of the day was when we found out that some of our lady troopers had happily gone into the male toilets! Lim, who arrived later, must have wondered why we were making such a ruckus.
The time was 9.03am when Sushanth insisted on leading the way and we only managed to have a rest when we reached the Ranger’s hut! He was not tired at all and wanted to get to the swaying bridge fast. We did not rest at the Jelutong Tower and had just enough time to climb all the way up. Continuing on our adventure trail, we walked to the golf area and barely had time to cast a glance at the swimming turtles.
Throughout the trip, continuous laughter emanated from the group... when we got to the hilly parts and our legs were giving way when we came across plants that we thought we knew, only to learn that it was named otherwise; 
When we came across men swimming in the murky lakes and wondered if they were looking for a mermaid or fishing for the unknown.
Our groans could be heard a mile away when Jalal kept encouraging us and told us to press on. When we finally reached the Tree Top Walk, we marched proudly across, like soldiers who had returned victorious from war, reeking of sweat from our 4-hour exercise, and yes, no monkeys had attacked us! This trip wouldn’t have been completed without the yummy lunch at the famous Roti Prata House generously sponsored by our good ol’Jalal!
Smiling at the camera even though we were tired after the walk
Amazing Race:
School Dental Service's North-West Interaction Day
By Madam Harjeet Kaur, Senior Dental Therapist and Organizing Committee Member, School Dental Service
After months of preparations, 17th May finally dawned bright and clear. Excitement was in the air as the NW Interaction Day Committee members quickly started to get organised.
The venue we had chosen was the West Coast Park, a pleasant place amid lush greenery, with a beautiful view of the sea and a huge playground catering to both the adults and children.
We started off the day with a line dance warm up headed by Senior Dental Therapist Ng Yet Gee. After the warm up, we were divided into eight different teams to gear up for HPB’s Amazing Race. The first was the hula hoop race, followed by riddles to be unraveled by the teams! We then went on from one hurdle to another, breezing through some while struggling in others. All in all, everyone completed the Amazing Race in record time, amid much fun and laughter. It was like revisiting our childhood days!
One of the highlights of the day was “dressing the mascot”. Everyone had a fabulous time dressing up fellow team members. Team 8 came in first with their very original and creative mascot. One team even had a mascot dressed as the ‘Bride of HPB’!
The grand finale was our favourite “makan time” where we had a mouth watering array of sumptuous food, some of which were prepared by our very own staff.
Never did we realize that our staff had other hidden talents besides their usual teeth business.
Our Senior Deputy Director of School Dental Service, Dr. Eu Oy Choo, and the respective heads of the two zonal field dental clinics Dr Chang Shian Shin and Dr Devi then did the honor of giving away the lucky draw prizes and prizes for the games.
It was almost 11.45am when we finally called it a day with Dr Eu giving a short speech. We were very glad to hear that everyone had enjoyed themselves very much and were looking forward to more of such gatherings in the near future!
Learning from our health promotion counterparts:
R&SP's Study Trip to Canada
By Erwin Teo, Research & Evaluation Department,
Research & Strategic Planning Division
On 30th March 2008, staff from the Research and Strategic Planning Division left for a study trip to the province of Ontario, Canada. Members of the study trip included Dr Annie Ling, Dr Hong Ching Ye, Dr Chan Mei Fen, Ms Chng Chee Yeong and Mr Erwin Teo. The objective of the trip was to learn about Canada’s framework for developing, translating, implementing and evaluating health strategies.
Posing for the camera before the helicopter ride over the Niagara Falls
Upon arrival in the cities of Toronto and Ottawa, we were greeted with a warm reception by our hosts, The Centre for Health Promotion and Health Canada. Apart from these twin agencies, we also had the opportunity to meet up with officials from Toronto Public Health, Health Nexus Santé (formerly known as the Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse), the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, the Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance, the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
Over the course of two weeks, the various health agencies shared with us how Canada developed its national health promotion and disease prevention blueprints, translated evidence into national strategies and action plans, disseminated strategic directives from the national to the provincial and municipal levels, monitored the health outcomes of her people, and evaluated and conducted research to determine the effectiveness of health programmes.
I was particularly impressed by two things. Firstly, the Canadians do not assume that a one-size-fits-all health message works when it comes to developing health resources and crafting health messages. Because of its culturally and ethnically diverse society, a lot of effort goes into understanding the backgrounds and values of the main ethnic groups that reside within a province, and how these might impact on the manner in which each group perceives and interprets subtle nuances associated with a health message, before appropriate resources are developed for specific racial groups.
Secondly, health communication in Canada occurs via a two-way approach: top-down from the federal and provincial governments, and bottom-up from the municipals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The relationship between top and bottom level organisations can be best described as symbiotic. The NGOs, especially, are capable, knowledgeable and highly empowered to effect change on the ground. They are health advocates whose views are sought after at the federal level for strategic planning and policy formulation.
Buffet lunch at the Sheraton Hotel, with the scenic Niagara Falls as a backdrop
Apart from work, we found time in Toronto to visit the much-talked-about Ontario Science Museum, and also managed to catch a helicopter view of the magnificent Niagara Falls. And as night fell upon our final hours in Ottawa, we crossed the Rivičre des Outaouais (Ottawa River) into the French-speaking province of Quebec to sample some of the cheapest and finest French fare in the town of Gatineau.
La cuisine française est excellente!
By Senior Staff Nurse Bastiah Bte Mohd Salleh, School Health Service,
Youth Health Division
I was very honoured to represent HPB’s School Health Service at this International Conference.
This Conference has provided me the opportunity to
- Learn about nursing in the primary health care settings of different countries and the challenges they faced.
- Promote HPB as a Centre of Excellence in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
- Network with nurses from other countries.
- Present my paper “Primary Health Care in School Setting” to over 200 delegates.
The Conference was declared open by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The speakers and participants for this Conference came from 34 countries representing more than 700 nurses, midwives, doctors and other health professionals.
This Conference has increased my awareness of the importance of Primary Health Care 
as the foundation of every health care system and that its role could not be underestimated nor ignored. This is especially so as the challenges posed are increasingly complex due to globalisation, depletion of natural resources and environmental degradation and a burgeoning population growth. The issues of an ageing population, new health diseases and the emergence of chronic diseases compound the challenges posed on the delivery of the primary health care system. It would have a major impact on a disadvantaged population.
A few papers described the role of nurses as care co-ordinators in planning and supervising the implementation of nursing care and involving the family members and volunteers in caring for the sick in rural areas. 
This is similar to our approach of engaging parents in the myopia education programme and SHS’s weight management programme. The students of the Physiotheraphy Department of Chiang Mai University conducted a pilot project to teach the elderly to maintain good health by adopting the exercise regime drawn up by the department. Another speaker shared on the technique of cessation of tobacco use by means of individual and group counselling.
The conference was fertile ground for sharing knowledge and experiences with the participants from all over the world. It resulted in the participants drawing up the Chiang Mai Declaration on 6 February 2008 whereby nurses and midwives in Primary Health Care pleged to work in tandem with the United Nations and other stakeholders to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
I would like to thank Ms Chor Swee Suet, Deputy Director, Clinical Standard and Quality for giving me the opportunity to network with so many delegates from various countries.
Group photo with all the participants from 32 countries