Decision
On the Organization and Scope of Work of the
National Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply

• Based on: the Prime Minister’s decree 37/PM dated 30/9/1999 assigning rights and responsibilities to different authorities, including the Ministry of Health, the Environmental Health and Water Supply Center, in supplying water in rural areas and ensuring urban and rural sanitation and hygiene.
• Based on the Prime Minister’s decree 204/PM of 9/10/2001 on the implementation of the Law Water and Water Resources,
• Based on Decision 1427/MoH dated 15/10/1999 of the Minister of Health appointing the National Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply,

The Minister of Health
Issues the following Decision

Section I:
Name, Position and Function

Article 1: Title: National Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply (NEW)

Article 2: Location: The National Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply is a Center belonging to the Hygiene and Prevention structures of the Ministry of Health.
Function: It is a technical body assisting the Department of Hygiene and Prevention in supervising and managing environmental health activities both in rural and urban areas and countrywide rural water supply and acting as advisor, facilitator and inspector and encouraging performance at each level.

Section II:
Mandate of the Centre

Article 3: Rights
3.1 The right to supervise the performance of functions and duties described under Article 2 and Article 3; The right to manage the Center’s accounting system, budget and financial assistance in accordance with financial rules (budget, loans, grants), keep an independent accounting system, and allow financial control by the Ministry of Health when required.

3.2 The right to manage and apply policies towards the Center’s personnel through the submission of the Center’s review and opinions to higher authorities forconsideration.

3.3 The right to review, give comments and request opinions on matters relating to the organization, appointments, promotions, transfers, removals of and sanctions against officers under the Center’s responsibility through the Department of Hygiene and Prevention of the Ministry of Health; Assist the Department of Hygiene in examining and drafting legal documents: laws, decisions, regulations, measures, resolutions, recommendations, instructions, notices, and handbooks relating to hygiene-prevention and health promotion for submission to the Ministry.

3.4 The right to propose appointing and canceling ad hoc committees or project coordination units under the Center’s responsibility to carry out missions as required with the approval of central departments.

3.5 The right to directly report to the Ministry’s leadership in urgent cases and brief central departments thereafter.

3.6 The right to participate in the drafting of agreements and memorandums with relevant domestic and international organizations or the private sector with the approval of the Department of Hygiene and official authorization of the Ministry of Health.

3.7 The right to enter into relations and cooperation and sign memorandums or technical cooperation agreements at the relevant level under approved master agreements.

3.8 The right to coordinate and organize the implementation of technical works with the relevant agencies within its scope of work and with the approval of the Ministry of Health’s departments concerned.

3.9 The right to submit training programs, supervise the use of technical facilities, administer activities, and expend its budget in accordance with the rules and regulations and the approved plan;

3.10 The right to convene local leading officers involved in its scope of work and parties concerned with the approval of the Ministry of Health’s departments.

3.11 Monitor and encourage the timely and effective execution of plans and programs of different projects within the Center and in local areas in line with the Law on Hygiene, decisions and regulations.

Article 4: Tasks
4.1 In coordination with the Department of Hygiene and Prevention and various agencies, examine, outline and disseminate technical policies, strategies, decisions, regulations and standards relating to countrywide rural water supply and environmental health.

4.2 Provide technical support, coordination and services in rural water supply and urban and rural sanitation based on the sectoral policy enacted by the Minister of Health.

4.3 Control the quality of drinking water in rural areas and remedy effects from sub-standard water sources based on the Decision of the Minister of Health on drinking water quality standards.

4.4 Contact and coordinate with public and private sectors and international assistance agencies the promotion of water supply in rural areas and countrywide environmental health.

4.5 In coordination with the Department of Hygiene, extend technical support to the control of environmental health and water supply to ensure the application of proper measures to prevent and control health effects according to the Law on Hygiene, Health Prevention and Promotion.

4.6 Develop human resources development plans and upgrade the skills of technical staff at different levels as required from time to time.

4.7 Develop and translate programs, projects and decisions into detailed activities in conjunction with the grassroots and agencies concerned to ensure efficient implementation.

4.8 Consolidate short and long-term sectoral plans set by local authorities, develop appropriate plans, emphasizing on ownership and participation in joint management with parties concerned.

4.9 Encourage local ownership to ensure sustainable project activities.

4.10 Monitor and encourage the timely and highly efficient implementation of programs and projects.

Section III
Organizational Structures

Article 5: Personnel Structure
5.1.The Director

• The Director of the Center is appointed or removed by the Minister of Health at the proposal of the Department of Organization and Personnel, is directly responsible for all success and failure in the management of the Center’s work, and receives allowances due under Category 6 under Decree 173/PM/93.
• Makes decisions in accordance with the mandate, duties and rights assigned by the Ministry of Health and principles of centralized democracy.
• Supervises planning processes and report the Center’s activities to the departments concerned and higher authorities on a regular basis.
  
• Signs all the Center’s documents and in case of impediment or absence, the Director is required to temporarily assign his authority to a deputy to act on his behalf based on due assignment in writing

5.2. Deputy Directors

• The Deputy Directors are appointed or removed by the Minister of Health at the proposal of the Department of Organization and Personnel.
• The Deputy Directors assist the Director in leading and managing all work within the Center, and are also responsible for other assignments from the Director.
• A Deputy Director can also be appointed to act as the Director during the latter’s absence and are given allowances under Category 7 of Decree 173/PM/93.

5.3. The Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply also includes a number of Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs of Divisions and technical staff as required.

5.3.1 The Division Chiefs and Deputies are considered and appointed at the Director’s proposal with agreement from the Department of Hygiene and Prevention for submission to and approval by higher authorities.

5.3.2 Division Chiefs assist the Director in performing his duties of guiding the execution of technical activities and are directly responsible for the success and failure of technical activities within their divisions and units under their responsibility. Should he be unavailable or absent, their deputies will be appointed to act on his behalf based on due written assignments.

5.3.3 The Deputy Chiefs of Division assist their Chief of Division in performing their duty of guiding the implementation of technical work, and are responsible directly for the failures and technical work within their Divisions and Units under their responsibilities.

5.3.4 The Center’s personnel include technical and administrative staff. Such staff shall be given assignments basically according to the requirements and the positions prescribed in the Center’s organizational structures.

5.3.5 The Center’s personnel is responsible for guiding technical activities, encourage and assist, study and manage implementation, and promote rural water supply and environmental health as provided under Article 3 and Article 4 above.

Article 6: Organisational Structure
The organizational structures of the National Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply comprise the following Divisions:

6.1 Administrative Division:
6.1.1 General Administration Section
6.1.2 Human Resources Management Section
6.1.3 Information Education Communication and Monitoring Evaluation Section.
6.2 Rural Water Supply Promotion Division
6.2.1 Surface Water Section
6.2.2 Ground Water Section
6.3 Environmental Health Division:
6.3.1 Environmental Health Inspection Section
6.3.2 Environmental Sanitation Promotion Section

Article 7:
Tasks of each Division:

7.1 The Administration Division comprises 3 sections:

7.1.1 The General Administration Section is responsible for:
1. Administration work, receiving visitors, protocol, arranging ordinary and extraordinary meetings of the Center or of any body within the Center, maintaining records of incoming and outgoing letters, copying and filing system, reproduction and publishing, distribution, management of the Center's official stamp and the name stamps of the Director and Deputy Directors.
2. Facilitate communications and coordination within the Center and with other organizations.
3. Following implementation guidelines, participate in staff training for all project management and implementation.
4. Management of fixed and movable assets of the Center and in water supply and hygiene projects in the country.
5. Administration of finances and accounting under the guidance of the Director of the Center.
6. Financial management (budget, salary and project money) and preparing project budget plans for salaries, technical allowances, operation costs (electricity, water supply, fuel, construction and renovation costs).
7. Personnel management, maintenance of staff statistics and policy management
8. Personnel management of professional staff (technical) and maintenance of staff statistics within the Center.
9. Office management and provision of lodging facilities.
10. Equipment management and supply (inventory list, purchasing, and supplying)

7.1.2 The Human Resources Management Section is responsible for:
1. Consolidating human resource development plans, recording staff training statistics and content of the training, training manuals, training equipment and materials.
2. Coordination with the technical sections to establish a plan for each period .
3. Coordination with cooperating partners to monitor and report on project achievements in each period.
4. Management and coordination with the Science and Technology Research Committee and organizations concerned under the leadership of the Division Chief.
5. Arranging meetings for the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee to review project implementation progress reports under the leadership of the Division Chief and report to higher levels.
6. Arranging training on gender awareness issues and supporting gender equality
7. Arranging training for rural water supply and environmental sanitation administration and management, schedules, seminars and field visits.

7.1.3 The Information Education and Communication Monitoring and Evaluation Section is responsible for:
1. Monitoring and evaluating projects
2. Collection base data of projects and reporting on project progress.
3. Assessing the implementation of strategies and improving strategies based on such assessments.
4. Arranging training courses on M&E for staff at all administrative levels.
5. Coordinating with the Environmental Health Division and Rural Water Supply Division
6. Development and distribution of materials
7. Devising and supporting approaches for IEC and community participation
8. Providing training for staff at all administrative levels on IEC

7.2 The Environmental Health Division has two Sections:

7.2.1 The Environmental Health Inspection Section has the following responsibilities:
1. To provide technical assistance to the grassroots to prevent health effects from environmental pollution
2. To coordinate with RWSS sector implementation organisations, and cooperating partners
3. To supervise and provide technical skills at each administrative level for controlling environmental and public health impact
4. Water quality control:
Providing technical skills to grassroots and promote skills in water quality control and remedies, and inspect the quality of performance by grassroots through the collection of samples for laboratory analysis at the central level.
5. Food hygiene control: Promote the consumption of quality and healthy food, reduce diseases, and enhance protection of food from environmental pollution.
6. Jointly with the environmental health impacts control coordinating team, report the implementation of outlined rules and regulations.
7. Control of impacts from pollution on the basis of rules and regulations:
- Inspection of water, air and terrestrial pollution and collection of samples for laboratory analysis
- Inspection of sanitation in hospitals and public utilities: inspection of internal and external environmental conditions, medical equipment, air-water-terrestrial pollution, waste disposal, disease prevention measures applied by the medical personnel, patients and individuals.
- In coordination and cooperation with authorities concerned in authorizing new important constructions, such as the ministries of CTPC, industry, agriculture and forestry, commerce, the Science, Technology and Environment Agency, the Food and Drug Department and others…

7.2.2 The Environmental Health Inspection Section is responsible for:
1. Promoting hygiene (waste water and solid waste disposal) in rural and urban areas.
2. Coordinating the promotion of sanitation and hygiene awareness.
3. Researching and developing appropriate information, promoting community awareness raising techniques for waste water and garbage disposal and latrine use, and also promoting the rehabilitation of environmental sanitation techniques.
4. Promoting household and school latrine usage: promotes hygiene education, knowledge for communities, teachers and pupils, including different techniques of latrine construction
5. Providing technical and management skills in the safe disposal of garbage and waste water to grassroots staff.

7.3 The Rural Water Supply Division comprises 2 sections:

7.3.1 The Surface Water Section is responsible for:
1. Assuring compliance with the Strategy, and assisting local levels in preparing project implementation plans.
2. Developing technical standards, rules and regulations in its scope of work.
3. Providing skills for planning, surveying, design and construction of surface water systems, including gravity flow systems, piped rural water supply and water collecting recipients.
4. Researching and promoting effective and efficient participatory implementation methods, standard technical specification design and appropriate technology for constructing and managing water provisions.
5. Controlling the quality of surface water supply systems.
6. Survey surface water sources to gather basic data.

7.3.2 The Ground Water Unit is responsible for:
1. Ensure compliance with the Strategy at local levels.
2. Researching efficient participatory implementation methods, standard technical specification design, and appropriate technology for constructing and managing water supply.
3. Train technical staff and communities in mechanical and manual construction of deep wells, sallow wells, installations of water pumps and ground water survey.
4. Monitoring the quality of new ground water supply systems’ construction.
5. Assisting the center in developing technical standards, rules and regulations.
6. Surveying ground water sources to gather basic information.

Article 8: Personnel

• Recruitment is carried out from the lower to higher positions.
• When necessary, the Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply may recruit a number of temporary employees with the agreement of the Department of Hygiene of the Ministry of Health.

Section IV:
Working Principles.

Article 9: The Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply works under the following principles:
1. The Director and Deputy Director’s management shall be based on the principles of centralized democracy, teamwork, shared responsibilities and enhanced genuine democracy.
2. Develop defined workplans, with clear job descriptions and responsibilities, with the aim to achieve realizable goals and objectives according to the Center’s actual conditions, evaluate, assess and report to the Department of Hygiene and Prevention of the Ministry of Health on a regular basis.
3. Concentrate on regular implementation monitoring and evaluation
4. Follow guidance of Government hierarchy, coordinate with departments and local authorities concerned, such as institutes, centers, hospitals, schools, divisions, units and the three mass organizations in order to improve and develop the Center
5. The Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply implements its rules, rules of the Department and decisions of the Minister of Health on the Center’s organization and mandate.

Section V:
Final Provisions

Article 10:
The Environmental Health and Water Supply Center has a round official stamp. Within the upper circumference is written Ministry of Health, there is a small star on either side, and on the lower is written Department of Hygiene and Disease Prevention, and in middle of the stamp is written National Center for Rural Water Supply and Environment Health.

Article 11:
The National Center for Rural Water Supply and Environment Health and the relevant Departments of the Ministry of Health, Institutes, institutes, centers, hospitals, schools under the Ministry of Health, and the Health Departments of provinces and Vientiane City, special zone and organized concerned are to acknowledge and implement this Decision.

Article 12:
This Decision is effective from the date it is signed.
Minister of Health.