The Port Health Medical Services (PHMS) is part of the Environmental Health Directorate, of the Department for Health Regulation and carries out its mandate of ensuring health security and safeguarding the well-being of the public through the enforcement of national public health legislation and international obligations.
The PHMS service delivery is performed within 4 functional units and collaborates with relevant stakeholders/agencies to implement and maintain the capacity for early detection and response to public health threats.
These units are:
- Port Health Office
- Airport Health Office
- International Health Regulation National Focal Point
- Migrant Entry Health Screening
Legislation:
The legislation relevant to PHMS includes but not limited to:
- Public Health (Ships) Regulations SL of Public Health Act
- Prevention of Disease Ordinance and subsidiary legislations
- Drugs (Control) Regulations & DH Circular on Medicinal Imported for Personal Use
- Food Safety Act and subsidiary legislations
- Relevant EC directives and decisions adopted to national legislation
Role & Functions:
The role and functions of PHMS at points of entry as empowered by legislation above includes:
- Monitoring and health control measure of traveller/s from affected countries as may be indicated
- Coordinate the tracing of exposed contact to potential infectious traveller/s
- Monitoring of conveyance services, embarking/disembarking traveller/s of sea/aircraft as required
- Supervision of disinfection, decontamination, disinsection or other control measures as may be required
- Control and advice customs on importation of medicinal products, foods and food supplements, other related substances
- International Health Regulation National Focal Point and implementation at points of entry
Links to related websites:
Malta Freeport