CHAPTER 2 : Environmental Health Profession In Malaysia.

CHAPTER 2 : Environmental Health Profession In Malaysia.

    Environmental health profession is very synonym with public health discipline in Malaysia. Its was started in 1870 when Sanitary Board and Municipal Corporation was established by British ruling. During that time, enforcement is the priority without neglecting other aspect such building, solid waste disposal, sewerage system, food hygiene, infectious control and water supply.

    Lets talk a little bit about the history of the profession. In 1921 until 1958, Environmental health profession were trained at King Edward College of Medicine, Singapore. However, the training was moved to the newly independent Malaya in 1958 and conducted at the Health Inspectors Training Institute at Young Road, Kuala Lumpur. At that time, graduates will be awarded a Diploma Royal Society of Health for the Promotion of Health for Health Inspector (RSH) (London). The training was then shifted to the Public Health Institute, Bangsar Road, Kuala Lumpur in 1967. Nowadays, Health Inspector training has been officially conducted at Allied Health Science College which is known as Kolej Sains Kesihatan Bersekutu (under MOH) and other public and private universities in Malaysia. The Ministry of Health recommended that Diploma holders be known as Assistant Environmental Health Officers.

(http://www.ifeh.org/spotslights/22_malaysia.html)

    Now we go to the profession of the environmental health. Assistant Environmental Health Officer (AEHO) U29 is a front liner in maintaining sustainable public health, responsible for delivering a health education and promotion to the community, and enforce of certain act or regulation in order to preserve human health. 

They are involved in a variety of activities such as:

- Inspecting food facilities.

- Investigating public health nuisances. 

- Investigating and controlling infectious disease cases. 

- Promoting safe and healthy lifestyle. 

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

- City                                                     - City Hall & City Council

- Municipality                                       - Municipal council 

- Rural area                                           - District Council

- Special and modified local authority - Corporation, Development Board, Development Authority.

Placement of Duty:

1. Ministry of Health, Malaysia

 - Legislative and inspectorate (public health)

 - Disease control 

 - Food quality and safety

 - Engineering services 

2. Ministry of Health Training Institute 

 - Public health Institute (IKU) 

 - Allied Health Science College (KSKB)

3. Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government 

 - Environmental Health Division 

 - Maintenance and public facilities division

4. Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (PPSPPA)

5. The State Health Department 

 - Vector control unit 

 - Food safety and quality unit

 - Disease control unit 

 - Public health engineering unit 

 - Health promotion unit 

6. Public Hospital 

 - Public health division

7. Health District Office including border/entry point (Current update: 167)

8. Local Authorities (LA) including modified LA

9. Institute of Higher Learning (Public) 

10. Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) 

(http://www.usphs.gov/profession/environmental/)

*All these points were based from my lecture's note named Encik Mohd Jamalil Azam and I did not own of his note's point.