In a statement on Thursday, the Malta Environmental Health Officers Association said that, ”in the last four years, several events took place that led us to question the future of our profession.”

The MEHOA said that ”these include the cessation of part-time work for all EHOs, the classification of our work as a high-risk profession in the “revolving doors policy,” inspections involving parameters not related to the EHO’s duties, such as those included in the inspections of the “tablets” and inspections in Schools on nutrition and the lack of investment in the Public Health Laboratory which results in the loss of accreditation.”’

”These issues have raised concerns about the stability of our profession,” it said.

The Association went on to say that ”the previous management, the Superintendent of Public Health (SPH), the previous Minister of Health, and the previous Chief Permanent Secretary assured us that our profession was not at risk and no changes, developments would occur recent studies suggest otherwise. There is no clarity on how the manifesto measures will be implemented.”

”Two meetings were held with the Principal Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights (PS MAFA) on 14 June 2022, during which we were initially assured that the Food Safety Commission (FSC ) under MAFA will have an administrative role,” the Association said.

However, it added that ”during a subsequent meeting, on 10 November 2023 we were informed of MAFA’s intention to propose the establishment of an Agency to assume responsibility for issues related to food.”

”After our first meeting with PS MAFA, we met with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Health (PS MHA), who with a short informal meeting with PS MAFA informed us that MAFA did not intend to assume responsibility for food related issues,” said the Association.

”Despite these assurances, on March 27, 2024, we received news from the DEH that all food-related duties within the Directorate of Environmental Health and the Public Health Laboratory would are transferred to the responsibility of MAFA, from Farm to Fork.” the MEHOA said.

This was further confirmed by SPH during a recent “seminar” for EHOs and PHL professionals, stated the Association. ”We are concerned that this move may indicate the beginning of a direction where other duties that are currently under the mandate of the Directorate of Environmental Health may also be transferred to other entities, and ultimately lead to extinction of the EHO profession as we know it.”

The Association stressed that ”EHOs are highly trained professionals regulated by the CPCM under the Health Care Professions Act, who have studied specific areas to enter this profession. Many EHOs have continued their education to obtain a ‘Masters’ degree as well.”

The MEHOA emphasised that ”even though MAFA has assumed responsibility for the Food Safety Commission, the Commission is currently operating illegally as it falls under the Food Safety Act, which makes it the responsibility of the Minister for Health, not the Minister for Agriculture, who appoints the Chairperson and Secretary but also, his operations and responsibilities. To date this legal amendment has not yet been adopted.”

These developments have led to a ”decrease in motivation among EHOs due to uncertainty about the future of our profession, in addition to the extra tension that has been caused.,” the MEHOA said.

”We should not forget that the Environmental Health Officer played a big role in the Covid-19 pandemic where we safeguarded public health,” it said. ”If the amount of inspectors decreases because of this split, who can address such an event if it happens again?”

The MEHOA insisted that they are ”passionate about our profession and would like to see the profession remain as it is, as it offers EHOs the opportunities to work in various fields.”

”In addition, we petitioned our Directorate to consider support for our profession, which received great support from EHOs. In fact, we have more than 90% of our members who agree to stay and continue working with the Directorate of Environmental Health,” it said.

The Association claimed that ”the Public Health Analysts and the Maltese Association of Public Health Medicine also supported the petition, and strongly disagreed with the removal of food-related responsibilities from the Directorate of Environmental Health and their transfer to MAFA, as food safety is a top public health priority.”

It went on to explain that ”the main objective is to maintain the current structure without changes and to strengthen the operations of the Food Safety Commission under the Ministry of Health, by providing it with the necessary manpower to operate more effectively.”

”Last week we had a meeting with the Minister of Health and the Permanent Secretary and he told us to give a report with all the concerns, so that a meeting can be held with the Minister and Permanent Secretary of MAFA. In the coming weeks we should receive a written report from the Ministry of Health with the answers to the questions we have submitted, the MEHOA concluded.

Photo: MEHOA

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