Once Again HAHN Talks to Island-wide Professional Chefs at Army Hospital

The ongoing ‘Healthy Army - Healthy Nation’ (HAHN) project of the Army Hospital headed by Brigadier (Dr) A.S.M Wijewardene launched another educative programme on ‘Preparation of a Healthy Meal’ for professional Army Chefs and a group of instructors during a work shop at the Army Hospital auditorium in Narahenpita on Friday (16).

The HAHN project included the culinary techniques, cocking methods of a healthy meal, protective measures against preparation of a healthy meal, educational programmes, lectures on Diabetes and non-communicable diseases and its complications and included practical sessions of preparation of a healthy meal. Those subjects were taken up for discussion during Friday’s (16) programme.

Brigadier (Dr) A.S.M Wijewardene, Head of the HAHN project, Colonel R.M.M Monaragala, Consultant Psychiatric, Lieutenant A.C.K Udugama, Mr Lenard Perera, Senior Chef and Lecturer at Vinston Hotel School, Ms Kumuduni Satharasingha, Nutritionist spoke at length on non-communicable diseases and explained their complications stressing the need to prevent them.

Brigadier (Dr) A.S.M Wijewardene, Head of the HAHN project highlighted the importance of organizing such awareness programmes during the inaugural session of its launch.

Around 125 Officers and Other Rankers including professional chefs representing Island-wide Security Force Headquarters, Regimental Headquarters, Army Chefs attached to the 3 (V) Sri Lanka Army Service Corps Training School, Anuradapura, senior Army Officers and Other Rankers participated in the event.

A novel and innovative health approach, ‘Healthy Army Healthy Nation’, campaign, aimed to reduce disability and death (morbidity and mortality) among Army personnel due to Cardio Vascular Diseases (CVD) and Diabetes, is now on to increase awareness and prevent them from falling prey to these non-communicable diseases.

The ongoing ‘Healthy Army Healthy Nation’ campaign saw its birth as a project of the Directorate of Army Medical Services (DAMS) after it was found that many military personnel retiring in their 40s upon completion of 22 years of service, had already developed one or more of those CVD conditions that would inevitably lead to complications such as kidney failures and heart attacks during their retirement.