CHAPTER 2: Environmental Health Profession in Malaysia

CHAPTER 2: Environmental Health Profession in Malaysia

   Let us talk about a bit of the history and their roles profession in Malaysia.

 It start on 1870 by Sanitary Board and Municipal Corporation during British ruling our beloved country. In between 1921-1958, Environmental Health were trained at King Edward College of Medicine, Singapore. After independent of Malaya during 1958, the training was moved and conducted at the Health Inspectors Training at Young Road, Kuala Lumpur. But later on 1967, it then also shifted to the Public Health Institute, Bangsar Road, Kuala Lumpur. At Allied Health Science College, the Health Inspector were trained and officially conducted at there. The Diploma holders as known as Assistant Environmental Health Officers that were recommended by The Ministry of Health.

                    (source from http://www.moh.gov.my/english.php/pages/view/532)

  The Assistant of Environmental Health Officer (AEHO) U29 is known as a front liner which maintaining sustainable public health and enforce of certain act or regulation in order to preserve human health. They also involved some variety activities they do inspecting food facilities in district / neighbourhood, investigating public health nuisances, investigating and controlling infectious disease cases such as dengue and malaria and they also promoting safe and healthy lifestyle to the public.

  Next, I will explain their task on their placement of duty. There are several task that they do to the public such as they provided waste collection service and disposal, do maintenance/services of drainage and sewerage system, do environmental cleanliness, always do road service/maintenance, traffic control, they also do flesh flood control, they provide public toilet, welfare house for old folks, build recreational park, child care centre, clinics under health programs, provided ambulance and kenderaan jenazah, provided slaughter house and crematorium.

There 4 types of local government is Malaysia, they are:

 1. City -City Hall (Majlis Bandaraya) or City Council (Dewan Bandaraya) (e.g. DBKL)

 2. Municipality -Municipal Council (Majlis Perbandaran) (e.g. MPAJ)

 3. Rural area -District Council (Majlis Daerah) (e.g. MDKL)

 4. Special and modified local authority -Corporation, Development Board,    Development Authority or simply Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (e.g. Putrajaya Corporation)

                                        (both source from http://www.selangorku.com)

   I’ll also talk about their major and specific role. Their major roles on their duty is to protect and improve the health and quality of life of individuals and communities and to reduce health inequalities. Their specific roles are to carry out activities related to food hygiene and safety, conducting activities on prevention and control of infectious disease and chronic disease to the public and also implement to control of vector-borne diseases.

Last but not least, I’ll talk about their units involved and their own roles:

1. Legal and Inspectorate- to investigate, enforce and prosecute for any violation under public health laws.

2. Infectious Disease Control- to conduct investigate, prevention and control methods.

3. Vector Borne Disease Control- to prevent an illness caused by an infectious microbe that is transmitted to people by blood-sucking arthropods.

4. Food Safety and Quality- to handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent food-borne illness.

5. Drinking Water Quality Control- to carry out monitoring, analysis of data and sanitary survey regarding water supply.

6. Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation- to make sure that supply of water for domestic purposes is clean to humans and the environment.

7. Occupational and Environmental Health- To protect workers and public people from any risk related to occupational at workplace.

8. International Health- to monitoring borders or entry point in the country either on land, air or sea.

   Finally, I’ll discuss about the association that involve, which is Malaysian Association Environmental Health (MAEH). Their task are:

(source from http://www.maeh.org.my/)

-They involved considerable fieldwork, and some travel frequently.

- They inspect pools, childcare centers, restaurants, septic systems, and many other types of establishments that relate to health and safety.

- They also may be exposed to psychosocial and physical hazards and may be performed in unpleasant, stressful, and dangerous working conditions.

(REFERENCE FROM:  

*http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11755/,

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_safety,  

*Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA) Duties and Responsibilities of Assistant Environmental Health Officer Grade U29 and 

*Malaysian Association of Environmental Health (MAEH). History and background of Environmental Health Profession in Malaysia.

* From my lecturer's note named Encik Mohd Jamalil Azam 

I do not own of this point's that I've given and point out, please refer to the reference that I have listed. Thank you very much for your appreciation.