Brunei Minister of Health Datuk Seri Setia Dr Mohd Isham Jaafar outlined the country's health challenges. - BB/ANN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Minister of Health Datuk Seri Setia Dr Mohd Isham Jaafar attended the Annual Health Roundtable recently held in Geneva, Switzerland, in conjunction with the 78th World Health Assembly.
The two-day Roundtable, themed ‘The Intelligent Age: Redefining Healthcare for the Future’, was hosted by the World Economic Forum (WEF) Centre for Health and Healthcare.
It brought together global leaders to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI)-powered innovation and cross-regional policy collaboration, strengthen public-private partnerships to advance equitable access to health and reduce global health risks.
The event gathered ministers of health, policymakers, senior industry executives, international organisations, philanthropic leaders and key stakeholders to explore the evolving global health landscape, in alignment with the Assembly’s agenda.
On the second day, the Minister participated in several discussion sessions, including ‘Closing the Gaps: Health Equity in the Era of Rising NCDs’, ‘From Lifespan to Health Span: Rethinking Preventative Healthcare with Innovations’, ‘Climate and Health: Preparing for Business Risks and Surging Health Demands’ and ‘Healthy Data Ecosystems: Building a Global Architecture for Health’.
He also served as a panel member during the session ‘Health for All & Health Equity – Bridging the Gap: Health Equity in an Era of Rising NCDs’. The discussion focused on inequities caused by the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and mental health, particularly among communities with limited access to health services.
The minister highlighted Brunei ’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that all individuals have equitable access to quality healthcare services without financial hardship.
This commitment aligns with the goals of Brunei Vision 2035 for a high quality of life, implemented through a Whole-of-Nation approach.
He also outlined the country’s current challenges in addressing the increasing prevalence of NCDs and the need to close health gaps. The minister noted that Brunei continues to invest in expanding access to basic healthcare services and remains committed to leveraging technology and data to improve health outcomes.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration across public, private and community sectors, and upheld the principle that health is a shared responsibility.
The minister also shared how digital transformation initiatives such as BruHealth 5.0 serve as cost-effective tools in bridging healthcare access gaps, particularly for marginalised communities.
The platform supports population health initiatives through preventive care and NCD management, including awareness campaigns, health screenings, telehealth services and remote monitoring. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
