Public Health Act [Chapter 15:09]

Chapter 15:09

Public Health Act

Acts 19/1924, 3/1930, 37/1938 (ss. 3 and 22), 10/1945, 4/1948, 1/1953, 18/1957 (Federal), 21/1963, 96/1964,

33/1968, 62/1969, 12/1973 (s. 270), 10/1974; 42/1976 (s.37), 37/1977 (s. 24), 5/1985, 8/1988 (s. 164), 11/1991

(s. 23); Ord. 6/1980, 12/1997 (s. 12), 6/2000 (s. 151, 23/2004 (s. 282); R.G.N.s 683/1963, 214/1964, 217/1970, 899/1978.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

PRELIMINARY Section

1. Short title.

PART II

ADMINISTRATION

3. Ministry responsible for public health.
4. Establishment of Advisory Board of Public Health. 4A. Establishment of District Health Management Committees
5. Appointment of Chief Health Officer and others.
6. Local authorities in rural areas.
7. Local authorities to appoint medical officers of health.
8. Duties of medical officers to local authorities.
9. Government medical officers to be medical officers of health in rural districts.
10. Local authority to appoint health inspectors.
11. Removal of medical officers and health inspectors.
12. Local authority failing to appoint medical officer of health or health inspector.
13. Combined appointments.
14. Duties of local authorities.
15. Health committees.
16. Defaulting local authorities.

PART III

NOTIFICATIONOFINFECTIOUS DISEASES

17. Notifiable diseases.
18. Notification of infectious disease.
19. Notification by medical practitioners.
20. Local authorities to transmit return of notifications.
21. Regulations for the notification of infectious diseases.

Prevention and Suppression of Infectious Diseases

22. Inspection of infected premises and examination of persons suspected to be suffering from infectious disease.
23. Provision of isolation hospitals, mortuaries, disinfecting stations and ambulances by local authorities.
24. Removal to hospital of infected persons.
25. Infected persons sent for treatment from other districts.
26. Measures to be adopted by local authority in case of infectious disease.
27. Power of local authority to order or carry out disinfection.
28. Removal to cleansing stations of dirty and verminous persons.
29. Removal orders.
30. Exposure of infected persons or things.
31. Conveyance of infected persons in public conveyances.
32. Infected dwellings not to be evacuated or let without previous disinfection.
33. Removal of bodies of persons who have died of infectious disease
34. Removal and burial of bodies of persons who have died of infectious disease.
35. Regulations regarding infectious diseases.

Special Provisions Regarding Formidable Epidemic Diseases

36. Formidable epidemic diseases.
37. Notification of suspected cases of formidable epidemic diseases.
38. Notification of sickness or mortality in animals.
39. Local authorities to report notification or formidable epidemic diseases by telegraph.
40. Powers of Minister where local authority fails adequately to deal with any formidable epidemic disease.
41. [Repealed].
42. Regulations regarding formidable epidemic diseases.
43. [repealed].
44. Appointment of epidemic committees.
45. Advances to local authorities.
46. Refunds to local authorities.

PART IV

VENEREALDISEASES

47. Application of Part IV.
48. Duties of medical practitioners.
49. Duties of medical officers of health and Government medical officers to report, and powers of district commissioners.
50. [Repealed].
51. Detention in hospital of infected persons.
52. Medical examination of inhabitants in a area where venereal diseases believed to be prevalent.
53. Examination of females by women medical practitioners.
54. Rights of persons detained in hospital.
55. Proceedings to be in camera, and reports not to be published.
56. Publication of advertisements of cures.
57. Contributions and facilities for diagnosis and treatment of venereal disease.

PART V

INTERNATIONALSANITARY REGULATIONS

59. Publication of International Sanitary Regulations and amendments thereto.
60. Power to carry out and apply International Sanitary Regulations.
62. Power to apply regulations to any infectious disease.

PART VI

WATER AND FOOD SUPPLIES

64. Duty of local authority to furnish water supplies.
65. Water works not to be commenced until approved by State.
66. Local authority to maintain existing water supplies in good order.
67. Powers to inspect water supplies.
69. Sale of unwholesome, diseased or contaminated articles of food prohibited.
70. Regulations regarding sale of milk and articles of food.
71. Minister’s powers to make orders.
72. [Repealed].

PART VII

INFANT NUTRITION

73. Interpretation in Part VII.
74. Regulations in respect of infant nutrition.

PART VIII

SLAUGHTER-HOUSES

75. Interpretation in Part VIII.
76. Local authority may license slaughter-houses.
77. Local authority may refuse licences and appeals against refusals.
78. Licence required for use of premises as slaughter-house.
79. Cancellation of licence.
80. Prohibition against sale of meat which has not been slaughtered in a slaughter-house.
81. Inspection of meat and fees for inspection.

PART IX

SANITATIONANDHOUSING

82. Nuisances prohibited.
83. Local authorities to maintain cleanliness and prevent nuisances.
84. Local authorities to prevent or remedy danger to health arising from unsuitable dwellings.
85. What constitutes a nuisance.
86. Notice to remove nuisance.
87. Procedure where person fails to comply with notice.

87A Local Authorities failing to deal with nuisances 88.      Penalties in relation to nuisances.

89. Court may order local authority to execute works in certain cases.
90. Examination of premises.
91. Persons making complaint of nuisance.
92. Demolition of unfit dwellings.
93. Prohibitions in respect of back-to-back dwellings and rooms without through ventilation.

PART X

GENERAL

95. Contributions to cost of laboratories and voluntary associations concerned with public health.
96. Powers and duties of Chief Health Officer and assistant health officers.
97. Reciprocal notification and consultation between Ministry and Veterinary Department.
98. Domicile of persons for purposes of this Act.
99. Contracts in respect of dwellings not to be affected. 100. Savings as to recovery of damages.
100. Protection of State and local authorities.
101. Protection of officers.
102. Powers of entry and inspection of premises and penalties for obstruction.
103. Penalties for fraudulent conduct in connection with certificates under this Act.
104. Penalties where not expressly provided.
105. Burden of proof as to knowledge of infection.
106. Defect in form not to invalidate.
107. Service of notices.
108. Powers of local authority outside its district.
109. Provisions of this Act in relation to other laws.
110. Scope and application of proclamations and regulations.
111. Application of Act to State.
112. [Repealed].

AN ACT to make provision for the public health.

[Date of commencement: 1st January, 1925.]

PART I

PRELIMINARY

1    Short title

This Act may be cited as the Public Health Act [Chapter 15:09].

                       2    Interpretation

(1) In this Act—

“adult” means a person of sixteen years of age or over;

“appropriate Minister”, in relation to a local authority or a body or authority referred to in paragraph (a) of subsection (2), means the Minister responsible for administering the Act by or under which that local authority, body or authority was established;

“approved veterinary surgeon” means a veterinary surgeon approved by the Director of Veterinary Services;

“assistant health officer” means a person appointed to be an assistant health officer in terms of section five;

“building” includes any structure whatsoever for whatever purpose used;

“burial” means burial in earth, interment or any other form of sepulture, or the cremation or any other mode of disposal of a dead body;

“carcass” includes any part of a carcass;