SAF GOES PLATINUM - IN HEALTH PROMOTION

There is an old saying that goes: "The artist cannot paint without his canvas." Similarly, good health is vital for our successful functioning.

The recognition of this was the reason behind the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) success in the field of Health Promotion at the workplace.

The Singapore Health Award Ceremony, which was held at Suntec City in November 2008, saw the SAF receiving the highest honour the Health Ministry has to offer - the Platinum Health Award. It is given out every three years.

This award is reserved for the best of the best, given only to organisations that have attained the Gold Award three years in a row. The Gold Award, on the other hand, is given out for maintaining already high standards.

In his address, Minister for Health Khaw Boon Wan praised the success of the SAF's Healthy Forces, Healthy Nation programme, which educates servicemen on the benefits of healthy living. He added: "The SAF offers useful lessons for us. They believe that health promotion is a key pillar to fulfilling its mission of protecting the country."

Colonel (COL) (Dr) Tan Peng Hui, Commander, Military Medicine Institute, affirmed: "The health of our servicemen is a priority in the SAF... Our commitment to health promotion programmes demonstrates the SAF's care for its men."

The efficacy of the programme was due to its recognition of the importance of fitness at the individual and unit levels and the implementation of health screenings for the early detection of illnesses.

COL (Dr) Tan also shared that the SAF has a three-pronged approach to success in health promotion at the workplace: "First, we educate our people on the value of physical and mental health as well as the means to attain them. Second, we engage them through regular, large and small sports activities. Third, the focus is not on the individual, but on the unit so that healthy living becomes a collective goal."

Apart from this programme, the SAF also has nutritionists who plan the cookhouse menus. In addition, regular servicemen undergo annual Body Mass Index measurements to keep themselves physically in check. Smokers also have the opportunity to join smoking cessation programmes.

"In an in-house health and lifestyle survey conducted in 2007 to evaluate the effectiveness of the SAF's workplace health promotion programmes, the number of people who exercised at least three times per week was up, compared to a previous survey carried out in 2003," said COL (Dr) Tan. More respondents also said their general health knowledge and awareness had gone up.