The Environmental Health Directorate promotes and safeguards the well-being and health of the public from adverse environmental effects.

The Directorate wants to be the leader as an official control body in the fields of environmental health.

This will be achieved by having in place a culture where the workforce is:

• aware of the needs of the Directorate’s stakeholders
• has a sense of responsibility and belonging
• is accountable
• and is able to work in a flexible and professional manner

The Environmental and Health, the European Charter and Commentary, Frankfurt, 1989 statement on Environmental Health:

“Environmental Health comprises those aspects of human health and disease that are determined by factors in the environment.”

The Department for Environmental Health was setup in September 2007 under the leadership of the Director Environmental Health. During 2010 the name was changed to Environmental Health Directorate. The Director leads programmes that promote the attainment of the highest standards of public health and hygiene by addressing risk factors associated with environmental hazards. The Director is responsible for safeguarding the health and well-being of the public through the enforcement of legislation derived from the European Union, National and international legislation. The Director gives direction to the functional units of Environmental Health, Health Inspectorate and Public Health Laboratory and ensure that services within the directorate are operating in line with the Ministry’s policy, strategy, regulations and standards.

The Environmental Health Directorate is made up of the following:

• Environmental Health Services
• Public Health Laboratory
• Port Health Medical Services

The Environmental Health Services is made up of the following:

• Burials Regulatory Unit
• Environmental Health Risk Management
• Port Health Services
• Tobacco Surveillance Unit
• Water Regulatory and Auditing Unit