Vidhi Codex

The Kerala Public Health Act, 2023

The Kerala Public Health Act, 2023

Health202383 sections12 chapters

This Act replaces older public health laws in Kerala to create a modern framework for healthcare across the state. It adopts a one-health approach to strengthen social systems and prevent communicable diseases, pandemics, and lifestyle issues caused by climate change and human-animal contact. The law applies to everyone in Kerala, including vulnerable groups like the elderly and differently-abled, and covers various aspects of public health such as medical waste management, sanitation, and disease control. It is essential for ensuring a healthier population and managing health emergencies effectively.

Start reading →Read full ActSections

Chapter 1 PRELIMINARY →

  1. 1Short title and commencement.
  2. 2Definitions.

Chapter 2 PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEES, PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICERS: FUNCTIONS AND POWERS →

  1. 3State, District and Local Public Health Committees and Public Health Officers.
  2. 4The State Public Health Committee and the State Public Health Officer.
  3. 5The District Public Health Committee and the District Public Health Officer.
  4. 6The Local Public Health Committee and the Local Public Health Officer.
  5. 7Duties and functions of Public Health Officer.
  6. 8Assistance to Public Health Officer.
  7. 9Temporary appointment of Additional Public Health Officers during emergency situations.
  8. 10Powers of the State Public Health Officer.
  9. 11Powers of the District Public Health Officer.
  10. 12Powers of the Local Public Health Officer.
  11. 13Ensuring of assistance of public servants.
  12. 14Local Self Government Institution to extend support.

Chapter 3 ENSURING SAFETY OF WATER FOR HUMAN USE →

  1. 15Water for human use.
  2. 16Powers of State, District Public Health Officers with respect to water supply.
  3. 17Powers of the State, District Public Health Officers to improve the quality of water.

Chapter 4 SANITATION FACILITIES →

  1. 18Responsibilitiy to ensure public latrine facilities.
  2. 19Ensuring sanitation facilities.
  3. 20Prohibition of deposit of filth, rubbish etc. in streets and in public places

Chapter 5 REMOVAL OF NUISANCE →

  1. 21Matters that are nuisance.
  2. 22Information regarding nuisance.
  3. 23Power of the Local Public Health Officer to remove nuisance.
  4. 24Committee, the orders issued or the actions taken by her.
  5. 25Disposal of articles shifted while removing nuisance.
  6. 26Nuisance caused by an act or omission outside the local area.

Chapter 6 REPRODUCTIVE, MATERNAL, NEONATAL, CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH →

  1. 27Functions of Local Public Health Officer to improve Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child And Adolescent Health.

Chapter 7 PREVENTION, NOTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND NOTIFIABLE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES →

  1. 28Communicable diseases and notifiable communicable diseases.
  2. 29The healthcare and prevention of communicable diseases of migrant labourers.
  3. 30Maintenance of isolation hospitals and wards.
  4. 31Medical practitioners, to give information of communicable disease or notifiable communicable disease and to follow proposed treatment criteria.
  5. 32Instruction regarding the method of prevention of spread of communicable disease and notifiable communicable disease to be given.
  6. 33Registered medical practitioners to certify a person free from notifiable communicable disease.
  7. 34Prohibition of the use of water, food or beverage from suspicious source.
  8. 35Shifting of infected person to hospital.
  9. 36Prohibition of contact causing infection to persons.
  10. 37Infected person not to engage in certain trade or occupation.
  11. 38Taking over of buildings and places to prevent the spread of infection.
  12. 39Power of entry of the Local Public Health Officer to take preventive measures.
  13. 40Closure of food handling places and lodging houses.
  14. 41Clothes used by infected persons not to be sent to laundry.
  15. 42Power of District Collector to control community gathering.
  16. 43Power of Government to confer special power to officers for the control of
  17. 44Prevention of communicable disease transmissible from animals.
  18. 45Control of rodents, dogs and other animals.
  19. 46Quarantine of persons suffering from disease.
  20. 47Precuations while handling dead bodies.
  21. 48Guidelines issued by the Government to be implemented.
  22. 49Power of the Local Public Health Officer to inspect hostel and other common spaces for residence.
  23. 50Guidelines for managing bio-medical waste.
  24. 51Blood Banks and control of communicable disease.

Chapter 8 VECTOR CONTROL →

  1. 52Responsibilities of Local Public Health Officer for the control of insects and other vectors.
  2. 53Prevention of breeding of mosquitoes and other insects in small and large waterloggs and water collections.
  3. 54Prevention of breeding of vectors which spread disease.
  4. 55Powers of the Local Public Health Officer in case of default.
  5. 56Protection for vector control activities.
  6. 57Prevention and management of insectborne communicable diseases or notifiable communicable diseases consequent to disaster.

Chapter 9 COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND PUBLIC HEALTH →

  1. 58Sanitary and other arrangements at the places of community gatherings.
  2. 59Control over private sources of water supply.
  3. 60Notification of community gathering.

Chapter 10 HEALTHCARE PROGRAMME FOR THE AGED, BEDRIDDEN, SEVERELY ILL, DIFFERENTLY-ABLED ETC. →

  1. 61Consideration and priority to be given to the persons facing physical, mental, social and economic challenges.

Chapter 11 CONTROL OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES →

  1. 62Control of non-communicable diseases.

Chapter 12 MISCELLANEOUS →

  1. 63Meetings of the Committee.
  2. 64Manner of serving notices and orders.
  3. 65Punishments.
  4. 66Cognizance of offences.
  5. 67Special jurisdiction of Magistrate.
  6. 68Compounding of offences.
  7. 69Appeals.
  8. 70Revision.
  9. 71Bar of jurisdiction of civil courts.
  10. 72Protection of actions done in good faith.
  11. 73Act shall not derogatory to other laws.
  12. 74Public Health Officers and other officers and employees to be Public Servants.
  13. 75Delegation of powers by Government.
  14. 76Power to enter and inspect.
  15. 77Matters to be considered while conducting inspection and imposing fine.
  16. 78Constitution of Public Health Fund.
  17. 79Power to remove difficulties.
  18. 80Power to make regulations.
  19. 81Power of Government to make rules.
  20. 82Validation.

PDF: pending for this language.