Khairy launches programme aimed at promoting child health and safety

PETALING JAYA: Some 800,000 children stand to benefit from a programme aimed at promoting child health, safety and wellbeing from young through more than 30,000 early childhood care and education (ECCE) providers.

The Healthy Little Bloomers programme is an initiative led by the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) in collaboration with ten ECCE organisations from both the private and government sectors.

The roll-out of the programme was in tandem with its maiden campaign "Junior Germ Busters" which focuses on infection prevention as the country moves towards an endemic phase of Covid-19.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin officiated at the launch and highlighted the importance of promoting, nurturing and safeguarding child health, safety and wellbeing from an early age.

“Health and safety promoting behaviours are shaped over time and will have major implications on a child’s current and future well-being.

“Studies have shown that not only do such behaviours have an impact on a child’s health status but, it also predicts one’s socioeconomic status later in life.

"Thus, exposing and training children on how to practice such behaviours early on in life will determine adult health and well-being,” he said in his speech via video Thursday (Sept 15).

Khairy added that preschools and childcare centres are key touch points in promoting and instilling health and safety awareness in young children.

As such, he was confident that the programme will be able to reach its intended audiences, namely kindergarten and childcare centre operators, staff, teachers, as well as children and parents.

Speaking more on the programme, MPA president Dr Selva Kumar Sivapunniam said that it is crucial to instill good health and safety habits in children at an early age.

Aimed at building a health and safety conscious generation, this long-term educational programme is targeted at kindergarten and childcare centre operators, staff, teachers as well as children and their parents, he said.

“Due to cognitive limitations, most children below four years old develop health and safety habits mainly through observing individuals around them or their own experience.

“As they reach the age of four and above, these concepts can also be effectively taught through school-based intervention.

“For many parents, ECCE institutions, which include preschool and childcare centres, are the most important partners in safeguarding and nurturing child health, safety and wellbeing.

“Many young children spend most of their waking hours in these institutions on a weekly basis. In addition, studies have shown that health promotion intervention in kindergarten and childcare centres can be effective especially if parental engagement is involved,” he said.

He also said that over the next few months, they will be conducting Junior Germ Busters webinar training for kindergarten and childcare centre operators, staff, and teachers.

Several sets of children's educational materials and materials for parents have already been made available to teachers and parents on the Healthy Little Bloomers website (healthylittlebloomers.my).

Roadshows will be carried out at People’s Housing Programme (PPR) units in the Klang Valley and child welfare homes to reach out to underprivileged children.

Programme offerings include training for ECCE operators and teachers, educational and in-class materials for children as well as information for parents.

The programme will be accessible to private and government ECCE institutions. Educational materials will be available in Bahasa Malaysia and English.

In-class materials that fit the requirements of special needs children, particularly those with visual and auditory limitations will also be made available.