5.3.2.11. Environmental Health Division

Chief Environmental Health Officer (CEHO)

• Review and develop recommendations based on environmental surveillance information received.
• Disseminate collated information to Epidemiology Unit.
• Supervise the detection of environmental risks and acute public health emergency/outbreaks and reporting, assessment, prevention, and control.
• Sanitary Inspections and reporting acute public health emergency / outbreaks.
• Collecting environmental and mosquito’s lab sampling and analysis.
• Testing Pesticides resistance.
• Applying enforcement and control of potential acute public health emergencies / outbreaks
• Integrating information, analysis, and response with EpiU: Notifiable Vector-borne diseases, Food & waterborne diseases and Zoonoses, Syndromic Surveillance and deaths, and clusters (place, time and persons and vectors) analysis and investigation is done together with Animal Health Focal Point and Chief Veterinary Officer and his team.
• Support mass gathering activities with the monitoring of food, water, and vectors.
• Developing health promotion activities related to surveillance in community and intersectoral activities.
• Integrating vector management including surveillance activities.
• Potential outbreak investigation & control with or without the composition of a Rapid Response Team.
• Support the preparedness, planning, surveillance, and response at points of entries.
• Disaster assessment and response.
• Feedback to national levels.
• Inspecting imported food for any public health risks
• Send food and water specimens to external laboratories for microbiological and chemical testing.
• Reporting possible morbidity and mortality by occupational and environmental diseases such as pesticide poisoning, and other toxic chemicals and physical agents is analyzed monthly.
• Support the investigation of any indoor air quality threats.
• To enforce legislative regulations to mitigate public health risks.
• Support the inspection of ships on international voyages in the issuance of ship sanitation certificates.
• Monitor and support the investigation of any nuclear radiation risks.

Assistant Chief Environmental Health Officer

• Detection of environmental risks and acute public health emergency/outbreaks and reporting, assessment, prevention, and control.
• Reporting all environmental surveillance information to the Chief Environmental Health Officer
• Collecting environmental and mosquito lab sampling and analysis.
• Testing Pesticides resistance.
• Applying enforcement and control of potential acute public health emergencies / outbreaks
• Integrating information, analysis, and response with EpiU: Notifiable Vector-borne diseases, Food & waterborne diseases and Zoonoses, Syndromic Surveillance and deaths, and clusters (place, time and persons and vectors) analysis and investigation is done together with Animal Health Focal Point and Chief Veterinary Officer and his team.
• Support mass gathering activities with the monitoring of food, water, and vectors.
• Developing health promotion activities related to surveillance in community and intersectoral activities.
• Integrated Vector management including surveillance activities.
• Potential outbreak investigation & control with or without the composition of a Rapid Response Team.
• POE surveillance and response.
• Disaster assessment and response.
• Feedback to local level and national levels.
• Inspecting imported food for any public health risks
• Send food and water specimens to external laboratories for microbiological and chemical testing.
• Reporting possible morbidity and mortality by occupational and environmental diseases such as pesticide poisoning, and other toxic chemicals and physical agents is analyzed monthly.
• Support the investigation of any indoor air quality threats.
• To enforce legislative regulations to mitigate public health risks.
• Support the inspection of ships on international voyages in the issuance of ship sanitation certificates.
• Monitor and support the investigation of any nuclear radiation risks.
• To delegate tasks downwards as needed.

Programme Manager – Port (Environmental Health Officer III)

• Detection of environmental risks and acute public health emergency/outbreaks and reporting, assessment, prevention, and control.
• Reporting all environmental surveillance information to the Deputy / Chief Environmental Health Officer
• Collecting environmental and mosquito lab sampling and analysis.
• Testing Pesticides resistance.
• Applying enforcement and control of potential acute public health emergencies / outbreaks
• Integrating information, analysis, and response with EpiU: Notifiable Vector-borne diseases, Food & waterborne diseases and Zoonoses, Syndromic Surveillance and deaths, and clusters (place, time and persons and vectors) analysis and investigation is done together with Animal Health Focal Point and Chief Veterinary Officer and his team.
• Support mass gathering activities with the monitoring of food, water, and vectors.
• Assisting with the development of health promotion activities related to surveillance in community and intersectoral activities.
• Integrated Vector management including surveillance activities.
• Participating in potential outbreak investigation & control with or without the composition of a Rapid Response Team.
• POE surveillance and response.
• Disaster assessment and response.
• Inspecting imported food for any public health risks
• Send food and water specimens to external laboratories for microbiological and chemical testing.
• Reporting possible morbidity and mortality by occupational and environmental diseases such as pesticide poisoning, and other toxic chemicals and physical agents is analyzed monthly.
• Support the investigation of any indoor air quality threats.
• To assist in the enforcement of legislative regulations to mitigate public health risks.
• Support the inspection of ships on international voyages in the issuance of ship sanitation certificates.
• Monitor and support the investigation of any nuclear radiation risks.
• To delegate tasks downwards as needed

Port Health Officers (PHO):

• Report any event, medical or public health information for international entry or exit of travelers or crew, baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods, vectors, foods, and postal parcels as well as agencies.
• Conduct a rapid risk assessment of any signal or health-related problem in the Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH) presented by the Captain or Responsible for the conveyance, when interviewing passengers, or through information from Immigration, Customs or Port Services. Determine if an alert has to be communicated to the Senior EHO.
• coordinate with Immigration and Customs to isolate or quarantine suspected persons, animals, or products or goods as required.
• If considering a CD or any threat potentially epidemic, the isolation and/or quarantine is applied following the Public Health Emergency Response Plan in the POE initially, or in a HCF or at home, preparing a line listing with clear identification for follow up.
• If the PHO is not in capacity for dealing with the event, EpiU and EHU immediately send a specialist or an RRT to attend the emergency.
• In case an emergency is highly suspicious or confirmed, the CEHO activates the Emergency Plan for managing the situation in coordination with the PHO and MOH.
• A full report of the event is sent to the EpiU/EHU as soon as the emergency has been defined and early measures are in place.
• If the emergency is extended in time or public health impact, it is treated like an outbreak and a daily report is sent from the POE to the MOH EpiU and EHU.
• To collect data based on direction given by the public health official or the medical professional

Environmental Health II:

• Assessment of environmental health risks and outbreaks / acute public health emergencies through sanitary inspections including those related to vector control, food safety, natural and other disasters, water quality, air quality and mold.
• Investigation and control of disease outbreak related to vectors, lack of food safety, disasters, poor water quality, poor air quality and mold.
• Investigation of complaints that are potential health risks.
• Supervision of contact tracing, quarantine, follow up, isolation and early detection of secondary cases, infection, prevention, and control measures at home or other settings, preventive public health measures with contacts and community.
• Environmental sampling (food, water and wastewater, vector, air quality, mold).
• Applying enforcement and control of potential outbreaks/acute public health emergencies.
• Supervising the development of health promotion activities in the community as well as intersectoral activities.
• Integrated vector management including surveillance.
• Identifying and monitoring the presence, abundance, and distribution of disease-carrying vectors like mosquitoes, ticks, or sandflies. (This involves conducting regular field surveys, setting up traps, and collecting samples for analysis.)
• Supervising the collection of relevant data on vector populations, breeding sites, and disease incidence. They also maintain databases, develop data collection tools, and perform data analysis to identify trends and patterns.
• Supervising / conducting investigations whenever there is an outbreak or a suspected outbreak of a vector-borne disease, to determine the source, identify potential breeding sites, and assess transmission patterns.
• Assisting with the implementation of effective control strategies to reduce the transmission of vector-borne diseases. This involves planning and executing mosquito control activities, such as larval source reduction, insecticide spraying, and biological control methods like introducing predator species.
• Assisting with the implementation of public education and awareness campaigns. (They should provide information on disease prevention measures, demonstrate proper use of personal protective measures, and educate communities on the importance of eliminating breeding sites in and around their homes.)
• To collaborate with other public health officials, entomologists, healthcare providers, community organizations and Epidemiology Unit to ensure a coordinated response to vector-borne diseases. (This includes sharing surveillance data, participating in training programs, and contributing to integrated vector management strategies.)
• To continuously contribute to capacity building efforts within the organization or community by training and educating other staff members, providing guidance on vector control techniques, and disseminating best practices for surveillance and control.
• Participate in research activities to help improve the understanding of vector biology, disease transmission dynamics, and control measures. They may conduct experiments, develop new interventions, or test the effectiveness of novel vector control methods.

Environmental Health Officer I:

• Assessment of environmental health risks and outbreaks / acute public health emergencies through sanitary inspections including those related to vector control, food safety, natural and other disasters, water quality, air quality and mold.
• Investigation and control of disease outbreak related to vectors, lack of food safety, disasters, poor water quality, poor air quality and mold.
• Investigation of complaints that are potential health risks.
• Assisting with contact tracing, quarantine, follow up, isolation and early detection of secondary cases, infection, prevention, and control measures at home or other settings, preventive public health measures with contacts and community.
• Environmental sampling (food, water and wastewater, vector, air quality, mold).
• Applying enforcement and control of potential outbreaks/acute public health emergencies.
• Developing health promotion activities in the community as well as intersectoral activities.
• Integrated vector management including surveillance.
• Identifying and monitoring the presence, abundance, and distribution of disease-carrying vectors like mosquitoes, ticks, or sandflies. (This involves conducting regular field surveys, setting up traps, and collecting samples for analysis.)
• Collecting relevant data on vector populations, breeding sites, and disease incidence. They also maintain databases, develop data collection tools, and perform data analysis to identify trends and patterns.
• Conducting investigations whenever there is an outbreak or a suspected outbreak of a vector-borne disease, to determine the source, identify potential breeding sites, and assess transmission patterns.
• Implementing effective control strategies to reduce the transmission of vector-borne diseases. This involves planning and executing mosquito control activities, such as larval source reduction, insecticide spraying, and biological control methods like introducing predator species.
• Implementing public education and awareness campaigns. (They should provide information on disease prevention measures, demonstrate proper use of personal protective measures, and educate communities on the importance of eliminating breeding sites in and around their homes.)
• To collaborate with other public health officials, entomologists, healthcare providers, community organizations and Epidemiology Unit to ensure a coordinated response to vector-borne diseases. (This includes sharing surveillance data, participating in training programs, and contributing to integrated vector management strategies.)
• To continuously contribute to capacity building efforts within the organization or community by training and educating other staff members, providing guidance on vector control techniques, and disseminating best practices for surveillance and control.
• Participate in research activities to help improve the understanding of vector biology, disease transmission dynamics, and control measures. They may conduct experiments, develop new interventions, or test the effectiveness of novel vector control methods.
   

Assistant Environmental Health Officers:

• Assisting with the assessment of environmental health risks and outbreaks / acute public health emergencies through sanitary inspections including those related to vector control, food safety, natural and other disasters, water quality, air quality and mold.
• Participating in Investigation and control of disease outbreak related to vectors, lack of food safety, disasters, poor water quality, poor air quality and mold.
• Assisting in the investigation of complaints that are potential health risks.
• Assisting with contact tracing, quarantine, follow up, isolation and early detection of secondary cases, infection, prevention, and control measures at home or other settings, preventive public health measures with contacts and community.
• Environmental sampling (food, water and wastewater, vector, air quality, mold).
• Assisting with the development of health promotion activities in the community as well as intersectoral activities.
• Assisting with the identification and monitoring of the presence, abundance, and distribution of disease-carrying vectors like mosquitoes, ticks, or sandflies. (This involves conducting regular field surveys, setting up traps, and collecting samples for analysis. )
• Collecting relevant data on vector populations, breeding sites, and disease incidence. They also maintain databases, develop data collection tools, and perform data analysis to identify trends and patterns.
• Assisting in the investigations of an outbreak(s) or a suspected outbreak of a vector-borne disease, to determine the source, identify potential breeding sites, and assess transmission patterns.
• Assisting in the implementation of effective control strategies to reduce the transmission of vector-borne diseases. This involves planning and executing mosquito control activities, such as larval source reduction, insecticide spraying, and biological control methods like introducing predator species.
• Assisting in the implementation of public education and awareness campaigns. (They should provide information on disease prevention measures, demonstrate proper use of personal protective measures, and educate communities on the importance of eliminating breeding sites in and around their homes.)
• Assisting with capacity building efforts within the organization or community by training and educating other staff members, providing guidance on vector control techniques, and disseminating best practices for surveillance and control.
• Participate in research activities to help improve the understanding of vector biology, disease transmission dynamics, and control measures. They may assist with conducting experiments, developing new interventions, or testing the effectiveness of novel vector control methods.