Public Health

This Unit is deemed the engine room of the Public Health Department. The main objective of the Unit is for citizens to reside in an environment that is free from the risks and occurrence of infectious diseases by living in a healthy environment.

With respect to its roles and responsibilities, employees of this Unit perform the following services:

• Routine inspection of premises to ensure individual premises are maintained in a sanitary manner.
• Inspection of Public Buildings and schools to ensure they are kept in a hygienic manner.
• Inspection of beauty salons and barber shops inspected once every quarter to ensure that operations are carried out in a clean manner.
• Examination of vacant lots to prevent harborage of mosquitoes, rats, and other vermin.
• Assessment of dilapidated buildings to determine their potential to be injurious and for health and safety reasons.
• Investigation of complaints regarding abatement of nuisance according to the Public Health Ordinance Act.
• Monitoring of the public water supply to ensure potable water meet proper safety standards.
• Enforcement of the Litter Act 10 of 1981 with regards to the removal of derelict vehicles and clearing of unsightly premises.

Environmental Control Division (ECD)

This Division is responsible for providing services that would allow for a clean, safe, and aesthetically pleasing environment as well as the prevention of vector borne diseases. These services include:

• Scavenging and its support services such as sweeping and bagging of litter in commercial areas, main thoroughfares, and other designated areas.
• Bulk waste collection and disposal.
• Insect vector control.
• Cutlassing of verges along main water courses and vacant lots/spaces.
• Canine control.
• Fecal waste collection and disposal.
• Underground clearance and clearing of main water courses.
• Brush cutting, clearing and maintenance of cemeteries.
• Desilting and clearing of roadsides, drains and manholes.
• Cleaning of public conveniences and markets.

To request a service (Bulk Waste Collection, Cesspit & Soak Away Cleaning, Clearing of Overgrown Drains) click HERE 

To file a complaint regarding: K9 control, Derelict Vehicles, Residential Garbage Collection click HERE

Food Safety Unit

Food Safety Unit is responsible for preventing/ minimizing the incidence of food borne illnesses in the City of San Fernando and for ensuring the sale of safe, wholesome food under the Public Health Ordinance Act, Chapter 12 No. 4.

This Unit is responsible for providing the following services:

• Inspecting and registering all food establishments within the City. These include restaurants, fast food outlets, supermarkets, catering establishments, retail shops, roti shops, mobile food units, poultry depots, markets, public and private hospitals, hotels, school nutrition centers, recreation clubs and processing plants. This unit is authorized to seize and dispose of unsafe food offered for sale and initiate court proceedings when necessary, against the owner of the establishment.
• Processing and recommending for approval building applications/completion certificates of food establishments.
• Submitting recommendations to the Senior Magistrate to assist in the processing and granting of liquor licenses.
• Investigating food related complaints and outbreak of all food borne illnesses.
• Obtaining food samples for bacteriological analysis.
• Inspecting containerized cargo and imported fish/shellfish.
• Supervising vending at Special Events and night vending.

The goal of the Unit is to provide a combination of learning experience designed to facilitate voluntary adaptation of behaviour conducive to citizens’ improved health and quality of life.  This Unit is staffed with only one (1) officer, the Public Health Educator, who reports to the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH).