7H
5.
Environmental Health
Parasitic and infectious diseases are among the mos
problems
in
the
Marshall
Islands.
Gastroenteritis,
serious health
ebiasis,
other
dysenteries, parasitic infestation, and other gastro-intesfinal disorders,
when classified as a unit, are one of the leading causes
mortality.
@f morbidity and
While there is not enough data to directly aftribute all the
above conditions to poor environmental sanitation, it is reagonable to assume
that
improvements
in
environmental
sanitation
would
ha
an
impact
on
improving the health status of the people of the Marshall IBlands.
Due to the importance of environmental health in preventlive medicine the
Environmental Health Division operates as an independent
Department of Health Services.
with general
Hivision of the
The Environmental Health Division is charged
sanitation and public health responsibilitids
served as an arm of the U.S.
and also has
Environmental Protection Adency to enforce
regulations which are related to pollution control.
The major responsibilities of the Environmental Health[ Division are:
-
Monitoring of public drinking water quality
-
Monitoring of sewage disposal practices
-
Monitoring of solid waste disposal
- Monitoring of lagoon water quality
-
Issuance of dredging permits
-
Enforcement
of
regulations
regarding
oi!
spillage ad other harbor
pollutants
-
Ship inspection
-
Village inspections
-
School and other public facility inspections (camps, theBtres, prisons,
etc.)
-
Issuance of building permits (for water supply and waste] water only)
Inspection of restaurants, bars, bakeries, grocery stores,
and the fish
market
Rodent and insect control
Advice to citizens regarding private water supplies, sewage and solid
waste disposal, personal and home hygiene, etc.
Public environmental health education
All the above responsibilities of the Environmental] Health Division are
governed by Trust Territory laws, rules, regulations and
@odes which were
developed and administered by the Trust Territory Environmpntal Protection