Hypertension.
     Attended a training course by Dr Koh Y H (HPB) on hypertension today (together with Siew Eng) at the Jalan Besar Community Club.  Course was educational, Dr Koh was very engaging and food served  (during the break) was just marvellous.  Attendees were given 2 sets of questionaires (identical) to complete  - 1 before the training course and the other after the course.  The 2 sets of completed questionaires were then  collected and later 'randomly' distributed back to the attendees for marking against the given set of answers.  Marks were then tallied and the scores of each attendees (pre and post) were recorded. These 2 sets were then returned to each of the attendee.
     Had a look at my sets returned - and was quite surprised to note arithmatic errors and incorrectly marked questions.   Perhaps, considering the diverse background of the attendees, such is expected.  However, as HPB expected that each of the attendees be able to perform the SHA role adequately when engaging the residents in the coming health events at the neighbourhoods, I just wonder whether such an expectation is realistic.  As lives (health of the individual) are involved, it is prudent that the SHAs who volunteer for the events intended be 'validated' against a certain minimum base competency standard (for communications, CPR  and.for the use of the Blood Pressure monitorng equipment).  If not, HPB's reputation and lives (of the target clients) could be badly affected.
     So, has the HPB's trust in each of the volunteers capabilities been over-simplified?   I thinks so, but others could argue otherwise.  Time will tell......we wait.