5. Power to enter and examine premises, etc.
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The Commissioner, a Medical Officer of Health or a public health auxiliary may, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., with or without assistants, enter and examine any premises or vessel and, subject to such directions as the Commissioner may give, either generally or to meet the circumstances of a particular case, ascertain whether the premises or vessel or anything therein is in a condition favourable to the propagation or harbouring of disease-bearing insects and carry out, where necessary, the spraying of the premises or vessel with insecticides; and the Medical Officer of Health may, in addition —
Commissioner
“Commissioner”, “Deputy Commissioner of Public Health” and “Assistant Commissioner of Public Health” mean respectively the Commissioner of Public Health, a Deputy Commissioner of Public Health and an Assistant Commissioner of Public Health appointed under section 4(1) of the Environmental Public Health Act;
medically examine any person in the premises or vessel for the purpose of ascertaining whether the person is suffering from, or has recently suffered from, or is a carrier of, any insect-borne disease, or whether the person has been recently exposed to infection by any such disease;
medically treat any person residing in the premises or vessel who is suffering from any insect-borne disease;
cause a post-mortem examination to be made on any corpse found in the premises or vessel for the purpose of ascertaining whether the cause of death has been due to any insect-borne disease:Provided that no person shall, unless with the consent of the occupier thereof, enter any house by virtue of the powers conferred by this section without at least 12 hours’ previous notice being given to the occupier thereof, if any.
Where it is necessary and expedient for such functions to be carried out outside the hours specified in subsection (1), the Commissioner or a Medical Officer of Health may enter the premises for the purpose thereof only after giving at least 24 hours’ previous notice to the occupier thereof, if any.
Medical Officer of Health
“Medical Officer of Health” means any registered medical practitioner in the service of the Government who is for the time being carrying out the duties of a Health Officer in any area or district in Singapore or the port limits thereof, and includes the Airport Health Officer, the Port Health Officer and any registered medical practitioner in the service of the Government who is engaged in vector control duties;
Subject to such notice, the owner and the occupier of any premises shall permit the Commissioner or a Medical Officer of Health or a public health auxiliary, with or without assistants, to have access to the premises and to any part thereof for the purposes of subsections (1) and (2), and shall supply all such information as the Commissioner or the Medical Officer of Health or the public health auxiliary may require or as he may consider to be reasonably necessary for such purpose.
owner
“owner” means the person for the time being receiving the rent of any premises, whether on his own account or as agent or trustee or as receiver, or who would receive the same if the land or house comprised in the premises were let to a tenant, and includes the Government;