Health Promotion Board

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Health Promotion Board of Singapore
250 px
Agency overview
Jurisdiction  Singapore
Headquarters 3 Second Hospital Avenue, Singapore 168937
Agency executives
Parent agency Ministry of Health
Website hpb.gov.sg

The Health Promotion Board (Abbreviation: HPB; Chinese: 新加坡保健促进局; pinyin: Xīnjiāpō Bǎojiàn Cùjìn Jú) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Singapore. It was established in 2001 to act as the main driver for national health promotion and disease prevention programmes, "with a vision to build a nation of healthy people".[1]

HPB undertakes the aforementioned programmes in Singapore with the goal of "increasing the quality and years of healthy life and preventing illnesses, disability and premature death."[1]

Programmes

The HPB implements the following health programmes while new programmes will also be initiated over time to address health concerns among the community:[2]

  • Health and dental services for school children:[3]
    • Pre-School:
      • Oral Health Care Services for Pre-school: The Pre-School Oral Health Promotion Programme is carried out in the kindergartens by the dental therapists working in the school dental clinics.[4]
      • Vision Screening for Pre-School: The Health Promotion Board (HPB) provides vision screening to 5 and 6-year-old children (K1 and K2) in kindergartens and childcare centres. This is to screen for visual problems such as myopia (shortsightedness), squint or other eye conditions.[5]
    • Primary School:
      • Immunisation for Primary School: Singapore is free from vaccine-preventable diseases like poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) because of their successful immunisation programme. Immunisation (or vaccination) is the use of vaccines to protect children against certain infectious diseases caused by bacteria and viruses. The vaccines are given to children when they are young because these diseases can strike at an early age. Some vaccines give rise to lifelong immunity upon completion of the full course (e.g. the Hepatitis B vaccine). Other vaccines have to be given again later in life to maintain the child's immunity to the disease (e.g. diphtheria and tetanus). This top-up dose is called a booster.[6]
      • Health Screening for Primary School: Doctors and nurses from the School Health Service (SHS) visit schools to conduct health screening for the children to detect health conditions common among the school-going population. The dates for these screening sessions are scheduled to minimise disruption to the children's classes. The list of screening activities are vision screening (eyesight test), 3D vision screening, growth & development assessment, hearing screening, spinal screening (for girls only) and medical check-up by doctor.[7]
      • Oral Health Care Services for Primary School: The School Dental Service has a range of services to help the pupil maintain good oral health. These services include basic preventive services, curative treatment and referral services to pupils of all primary schools upon parental consent. Once consent is given in Primary 1, it is valid till the pupil completes his/her primary education. Dental therapists are the main providers of the services.[8]
    • Secondary School:
      • Health Screening for Secondary School: The School Health Service (SHS) provides school-based health screening to secondary school students. The list of screening activities are vision screening (eyesight test), spinal screening, pubertal screening, review of health conditions (where applicable).[9]
      • Oral Health Care Services for Secondary School: The School Dental Service provides all Secondary 1 and Secondary 3 school pupils with dental checkups and basic dental treatment at their secondary school dental clinics/ mobile dental clinics. For the pupils in the other levels, they are seen as and when they request for treatment. Parents are required to sign the consent forms to enrol their child in this programme. Once consent is given, it is valid from Secondary 1 to Junior College Year 2. Besides the dental clinics located in secondary schools, the School Dental Service deploys mobile dental clinics to secondary schools that are not equipped with a dental clinic. Each mobile dental clinic covers 4 to 5 secondary schools in a year and is stationed for a period of 2 to 3 months in each school. When the pupils in the school have been rendered dentally fit, the mobile dental clinic will move to another school. It will revisit the school in the following year. Dental therapists are the main providers of the services.[10]
      • Immunisation for Secondary School: During health screening, the health teams from the School Health Service (SHS) check and ensure that all students have completed their immunisations according to the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule. Students who do not have any immunisation records or who have missed any of their earlier immunisations will be referred to the Student Health Centre (SHC) for the missed immunisations. Parents may also take their child to their own doctor for the immunisation if they wish. Parents have to take note that immunisation against Measles and Diphtheria is compulsory by Law in Singapore.[11]
  • AIDS Education Programme: The Adult Health Division (AHD) targets general population, workplaces, and at-risk groups e.g. men who buy sex locally or overseas and young adults who engage in unprotected casual sex. The Youth Health Division (YHD) targets school students currently in secondary schools, Vocational Training Centres, Institutes of Technical Education, Junior Colleges, Centralised Institutes, and Polytechnics.[12]
  • BreastScreen Singapore: The national breast cancer screening programme encourages women aged 50 years and older to go for screening mammograms (breast X-ray) once every 2 years. The aim of this Programme is to detect breast cancer early, allowing for more effective treatment and a reduction in the mortality rate.[13]
  • CervicalScreen Singapore: The national cervical cancer screening programme which encourages women aged 25 years old and above, who have ever had sex or are sexually active to go for Pap smear once every three years.[14]
  • Childhood Injury Prevention Programme: It was launched on 19 June 2004 to create awareness and educate parents and caregivers on common childhood accidental injuries, and how they can be prevented through vigilance and taking appropriate safety precautions.[15]
  • Community Health Screening Programme: Launched in July 2000, the highly subsidised community health screening programme encourage Singaporeans over 50 years of age to attend screening for early detection of hypertension, diabetes and high blood cholesterol.[16]
  • Mental Health Education Programme.[17]
  • National Myopia Prevention Programme: Singapore has one of the highest prevalence rates in the world for myopia. In August 2001, this national programme was launched with the aim of preventing and reducing myopia progression as well as to delay the onset of myopia in children. This is achieved mainly through public education and vision screening for children.[18]
  • Physical Activity Programme (formerly National Healthy Lifestyle Programme): The Health Promotion Board holds a variety of physical activity programmes which are held island wide. This is to encourage the people to participate in physical activities and stay active.[19]
  • National Smoking Control Programme: The National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) was formed to develop and implement smoking control programmes to reduce the smoking rates in Singapore.[20]
  • Nutrition Programme.[21]
  • Osteoporosis Education Programme: Build bone health awareness by organising various community events since 2006. HPB also supported a public forum, a nutrition talk and aired the International Osteoporosis Foundation's television commercial (TVC) campaign featuring celebrity chef Martin Yan as part of the Osteoporosis Society of Singapore's World Osteoporosis Day activities in October 2006.[22]
  • Workplace Health Promotion Programme: Aim to create a healthy workforce and a healthy organisation that contributes to a better quality of life and higher productivity.[23]
  • HealthLine: Toll-free telephone service in providing personal advice on healthy living and disease prevention.[24]
  • Health Information Centre: Provide access to health information, materials and resources for health professionals, health promotion facilitators, students and HPB staff. It is a specialised library with a collection of more than 20,000 books and journals, and 10,000 audio-visual materials on health education, health promotion and disease prevention. There is also a collection of local and overseas pamphlets, booklets and posters.[25]
  • HealthZone: A healthy lifestyle exhibition centre located in the HPB Building. It covers nine themes: Fitness Funhouse, Exciting Eatery, Addiction Alley, Tooth Terrain, Vision Vista, Puberty Passage, Seniors Spot, Happiness Hall, Lifestyle and Diseases.[26]

Health Topics

Health Promotion Board provides information, treatment and care on major health topics.

See also

  • Health promotion
  • Youth Advolution for Health (YAH) – Singapore's first youth-led health advocacy programme, aimed at empowering youth to advocate for a healthy lifestyle among their peers.
  • Audible Hearts – An anonymous, non-judgmental and secure online peer support network for youths, by youths in Singapore.

References

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External links

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