Rotuma (Public Health) Regulations

SECTION 16.-ROTUMA (PUBLIC HEALTH) REGULATIONS Regulations 4th Sept., 1939 (in force 8th March, 1940), 8th Dec., 1960 [in force 21st April, 1961], 29th May, 1964 (in force 13th Nov., 1964), 2nd Sept., 1966 Made by the Rotuma Council and approved by the I legislative Council Short title 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Rotuma (Public Health) Regulations. PART I-DWELLING-HOUSE Houses to be above ground 2. The floor level of every dwelling-house shall be not less than one foot above the ground. (Substituted by Regulations 28th May, 1964.) Flooring of houses 3. Every dwelling-house shall be provided with either a wooden floor or a concrete floor or a floor upon which coral or shingle has been laid. In the case of a coral or shingle covered floor, coconut leaves and mats shall be used as additional covering. (Substituted by Regulations 28th May, 1964.) Refuse not to be used for filling 4. No refuse shall be used in filling in any house foundation. (Amended by Regulations 28th May, 1964.) Kitchen 5. Every dwelling shall be provided with kitchen accommodation which, if separate from the dwelling-house, shall not be less than twelve feet long and eight feet wide with walls not less than five feet high. (Amended by Regulations 8th December, 1960, and 28th May, 1964.) Land to be kept clean 6. It shall be the duty of the owners or occupiers of land within any village at all times to keep such land clean and free from weeds, rubbish and offensive matter. Latrine 7. Every dwelling-house shall be provided with a latrine and no latrine shall be erected within thirty feet of any dwelling-house or road or in any other place to which the medical officer may object. No latrine may be constructed on a beach except with the express prior approval of the medical officer. (Amended by Regulations 28th May, 1964.) Specifications for latrine 8. Each latrine shall have a floor area of not less than twelve square feet being provided with a removable pan or being built over a pit over which a concrete slab or wooden seat adequately covered and fly-proofed shall be placed. (Substituted by Regulations 28th May, 1964.) Specifications for dwelling-house 9. Every dwelling-house shall have at least two doors and two windows and shall be not less than twenty-four feet long and fifteen feet wide with walls not less than five feet high. (Substituted by Regulations 28th May, 1964.) Erection of dwelling-houses 10. No person shall erect a dwelling-house without the prior approval of the chief of the district in which it is proposed that the dwelling-house shall be erected and, before approval shall be given by such chief to the proposed erection, he shall consult with the medical officer. (Substituted by Regulations 28th May, 1964.) Penalty 11. Any person who fails to carry out any order so given to him or who fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Part shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding four dollars and in default to imprisonment for any period not exceeding one month. PART II-SANITATION Food plantations 12. There shall be no food plantations within any village. Bush and scrub 13. All bush and scrub shall be cleared for a distance of at least twenty yards, round every village. Space round dwelling-house 14. There shall be a free and unobstructed space between the sides and backs of all dwelling houses of not less than twenty feet. Guttering 15. All houses roofed with material other than thatch shall be provided with guttering which shall be so constructed that water can flow freely into the down-pipes. Gutters and down pipes shall be kept in good repair and free from obstruction. Mosquito control 16. Every occupier of premises on which is situated any barrel, tank or cistern, or other receptacle for the collection or storage of water shall fit such receptacle with a sufficient cover or screen so as to prevent the ingress of mosquitoes and shall at all times maintain the said barrel, tank, cistern or other receptacle in a clean condition to the satisfaction of the District Officer or medical officer. Surface drains 17. In every village such drains shall be provided for carrying off surface water from any part of such village as the District Officer or medical officer may think fit. Penalty 18. Any person who fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Part shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding four dollars and in default to imprisonment for any period not exceeding one month. PART III-INFECTIOUS DISEASES "Infectious disease" defined 19. In this Part, "infectious disease" means cholera, plague, yellow fever, small-pox, diphtheria, typhoid fever, croup, puerperal fever, dysentery, pulmonary tuberculosis, measles, mumps, whooping-cough, venereal disease and any other disease which the Minister may see fit by order to declare temporarily or permanently to be an infectious disease within the meaning of this Part. Notification of infectious disease 20. All infectious diseases shall be at once notified, in the case of a sick child by the parent or guardian and in the case of a sick adult by the householder in whose house the illness occurs or by any other adult inmate of the house, to the medical officer, who shall inform the District Officer. Isolation of person suffering from infectious disease 21. The District Officer or medical officer shall have power to order the isolation or removal to hospital of persons suffering from any infectious disease and no person so isolated or removed to hospital shall leave or be taken from the place where he has been isolated or leave the hospital or be taken from it unless ordered to do so by the medical officer. Isolation of person who has been in contact with infectious disease 22. Any person who has been in contact with a person suffering from any infectious disease or who is known to have rendered himself liable in any other way to infection by any infectious disease shall, if so ordered by the medical officer, remain in his town or in such place as the medical officer may direct for such period not exceeding fourteen days as the medical officer may direct. Destruction of infected house or article 23. The District Officer or medical officer may order the removal, disinfection or destruction of houses or anything therein that has been exposed to infection. Children with disease 24. No person, being the parent or having the care of a child who is or has been suffering from infectious disease, shall permit the child to attend school unless the child has been certified to be free from infection by the medical officer. Body to be removed for burial only 25. 1f any person shall die from any infectious disease in any hospital or place of isolation for the sick, the body shall not be removed from the hospital or place of isolation aforesaid, except for the purpose of immediate burial, without the authority of the medical officer in charge. Restriction on custom 26. When a person dies from an infectious disease, the custom of kissing or handling the body more than is absolutely necessary is prohibited. Burial to be without delay 27. There shall be no delay in the burial of bodies after death from infectious disease. The District Officer or medical officer shall have power to order the immediate burial of bodies of persons who have died from infectious disease and to direct where such bodies shall be buried. Any person who being responsible for the burial of any such body, refuses or neglects to comply with any such order as aforesaid shall be guilty of a breach of these Regulations. Quarantine of area 28. The District Officer or medical officer may order any locality or district to be quarantined or isolated if in his opinion the spread of any infectious disease can thereby be checked and any persons entering or leaving such locality or district against the orders of the District Officer or the medical officer shall be guilty of a breach of these Regulations. Penalty 29. Any person who knowingly commits a breach of any of the provisions of this Part shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding forty dollars or in default of payment to imprisonment for any period not exceeding four months.