The department of Health at the Metropolitan Assembly level consists of the office of the Metropolitan Medical Officer of Health and the Environmental Health Unit.
The functions of the Department of Health are to:
- advise on the construction and rehabilitation of clinics and health centers or facilities;
- assist in the operation and maintenance of all health facilities under the jurisdiction of the regional and Metropolitan coordinating council;
- assist to undertake health education and family immunization and nutrition programmes;
- coordinate works of health centers or posts or community based health workers;
- facilitate collection and analysis of data on health;
- promote and encourage good health and sanitation;
- facilitate diseases control and prevention;
- advise on management of the sick;
- assist to formulate, plan and implement Metropolitan health policies within the framework of national health policies and guidelines provided by the Minister of Health;
- provide reports on the implementation of policies and programmes relating to health in the Metro. Assembly;
- advise the Assembly on all matters relating to health including diseases in the Metro.;
- advise on the:
- appointment, discipline, posting and transfer of health personnel within the Metro.,
- formulation and appointment of Metro. Health management Committee, Advisory Boards, Committee of Metro. Hospital,
Polyclinics and Health Centers,
- supervision and control of all Metro. health Institutions, and
- collection of health statistical data and other relevant information,
- advise on the licensing and regulation of provision of medical care services by the private sector in the Metro.;
- facilitate activities relating to mass immunization and screening for diseases treatment in the Metro..
(0) assist to educate and inform residents of the Metro. on sanitation and personal hygiene;
- facilitate and assist in regular inspection of the Metro. for detection of nuisance of any condition likely to be offensive or injurious to human health;
- assist in efficient management of clinical care, community health care and environmental health service in the Metro. infrastructure, to clean the Metro. hospital, polyclinics, health posts and dressing stations;
- assist to establish, install, build and control public latrines, lavatories, urinals and wash places;
- assist the Assemblies in the licensing of persons to build and operate public latrines, lavatories, urinals, washhouses and related services in the Metro.;
- monitor the activities of the operators and report to the Metro. Assembly;
- assist to establish, maintain and carry out services for the removal and treatment of liquid waste;
- advise on the regulation and provision of services for removal and treatment of liquid waste by the private sector, persons authorized or licensed by the Metro. Assembly;
- assist to establish, maintain and carry out the removal and disposal of refuse, filth and carcasses of dead animals from any public place; (x) assist in the disposal of dead bodies found in the Metro..
- advise on the regulation and provision of services by the private sector licensed by the Metro. Assembly for the removal, disposal and processing of refuse, filth and carcasses of animals;
- assist to regulate any trade or business which may be harmful or injurious to public health or a source of danger to the public or which otherwise is in the public interest to regulate;
- assist to provide for the inspection of meat, fish, vegetables and other foodstuff and liquids of whatever kind or nature, whether intended for sale or not and to seize, destroy and otherwise deal with such foodstuff or liquids as are unfit for human consumption;
- facilitate supervision and control of the manufacture of foodstuffs and liquids of whatever kind or nature intended for human consumption;
- assist to provide, maintain, supervise and control slaughter houses and pounds and all such matters and things as may be necessary for the convenient use of such slaughter houses;
- advise on licensing of persons and regulation of the provision of slaughter houses and related services;
- facilitate the prevention and dealing with the outbreak and prevalence of any diseases;
- advise on the prevention of the spreading and extermination of tsetse fly, mosquitoes, rats, bugs and other vermin in the Metro.;
- advise on the establishment and maintenance of cemeteries and crematoria; or
- advise and encourage the keeping of animals in the Metro. including horses, cattle, sheep and goats, domestic pets and poultry; and
- assist in the control of noise, odour, dust and smoke pollution.