Health Service

The objective of the Health Service is to safeguard public health, keep the city presentable, protect the environment, raise awareness among the public and develop appropriate health-related and environmental practices.
 
In a bid to safeguard public health in Nicosia, the health service engages with the following:
 
Checks of food and beverages, including potable water:
Within this competency, the health service carries out both scheduled and random checks across homesteads where food and/or beverages are prepared, cooked and/or sold for human consumption, to determine health conditions and compliance with hygiene regulations relating to food safety. This includes sampling of foods and of potable water from the Water Board network and from coin slot machines within municipality boundaries.

Cleanliness, hygiene and protection of the environment:
General and environmental hygiene are the key components in improving public health and keeping the city presentable.

To this end, the health service engages with the following:
  • Investigation and resolution of nuisances (problems that may affect the health, safety and comfort of citizens)
  • Cleanliness of public and private spaces (garbage and waste).
  • Eradication of harmful insects and rodents (exterminators for insects and rodents of health concern, such as mosquitoes, cockroaches, fleas and rats).
  • Towing of abandoned cars and removal of objects (from public and private open spaces).
  • Prohibition on the keeping of animals and birds (nuisance, droppings, etc)
  • Use of suitable dumpsters and correct disposal of waste/garbage.
  • Public toilets (operation and general sanitation).
  • Stray cat spaying programme. To keep in check the cat population but also protect cats from accidents and malicious poisoning, the health service is implementing a spaying programme for stray cats. Cats living in open public spaces, public parks, cemeteries and public car parks are spayed. Once spayed and properly treated, the animals are returned to their habitat.
Enforcement of legislation:
  • In addition to its other activities the health service engages with the enforcement of the following legal stipulations:
  • The Avoidance of Pollution Law of 1992 (dumping garbage and waste items in public streets and other public spaces).
  • The Public Swimming Pools Law of 1996 and the Public Swimming Pools Regulations of 1996 (checks of swimming pools to ensure water quality and public safety measures).
  • The Dog Laws of 2002 and 2005. The health service checks for dog licenses, animals’ living conditions and nuisance issues. Stray dogs are impounded.
 Address: the health service’s offices are housed in the Old Municipality building, Old Municipality Square, in the walled city.