Cases of NEA Officers' Inability to Gain Access to Properties to Conduct Dengue Inspections

Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in each year of the last three years, how many instances were logged where National Environment Agency's dengue inspection officers are unable to gain entry into a house due to residents not being at home or the property being vacant; and (b) what alternative procedures do officers take to conduct an inspection in such situations, especially in cases where repeated visits are made but officers cannot gain entry.

Between 2021 and 2023, the National Environment Agency's (NEA’s) dengue inspection officers inspected 600,000 homes on average each year. NEA takes a risk-based approach to prioritise the deployment of dengue inspection officers to dengue cluster areas. Generally, the islandwide average accessibility rate is around 40%. In areas with large dengue clusters, NEA was able to inspect more than 90% of the homes, based on 2023 data. When initial inspection attempts are unsuccessful, NEA officers will return for inspection at another time and, if necessary, serve a letter to the resident to arrange for another date to inspect the unit. If NEA's dengue inspection officers are still unable to gain access despite repeated visits, NEA will serve notices under the Control of Vectors and Pesticides Act 1998 (CVPA) to require residents to make their homes available for inspection.

When the dengue situation is very serious and the homes are vacant or continue to remain inaccessible even after NEA has made repeated attempts, including through neighbours and grassroots, and issued legal notices, NEA may exercise its statutory authority under section 36 of CVPA to gain entry to these premises to conduct vector inspections to mitigate public health risks. From 2021 to 2023, 129 inspections were carried out under section 36 of CVPA. Operational protocols are in place to ensure that such entries are conducted safely and under strict supervision.