President and Executive Officer of the Board of Health

Corporate body

President and Executive Officer of the Board of Health

1925-1937; 1943-1959

The President and Executive Officer of the Board of Health (1943-1959). Previous executive officer titles include: President of the Board of Health (1850-1925), President and Executive Officer of the Board of Health (1925-1937), and Territorial Commissioner of Public Health (1937-1943).
In 1903, the President was made the presiding officer and only salaried member of the Board of Health, and required to be a licensed M.D. or doctor of osteopathy. In 1925 the President was also made the Executive Officer of the Board of Health, having the power to make appointments, enforce the regulations and directions of the Board, and carry out the wishes of the Board through his subordinates.
In 1943 the president acquired the power to appoint a deputy, called the Assistant Health Executive, subject to the approval of the Board, who became a part of the President's office. The Assistant Health Executive's duty was to attend to routine business matters, and at the same time to be director of the Division of Local Health Services. As the director of that division, he supervised the agents of the Board stationed in the various health districts of the Territory (the employees of the Bureau of Public Health Nursing and the Government Physicians). He also supervised the District Health Officers, who were under the County Health Officers. In that capacity his duty was to ensure the uniform provision of health care across the Territory.
In 1989 when the Department of Health reorganized into Administrations, the Deputy Directors of Health of each Administration were administratively located in the Office of the Director.

The Director, under the direction of the Governor and with the advice of the Board of Health, directs programs for the protection of the physical and mental health of the people of Hawaii. He supervises the licensing of physicians. He also supervises the Deputy Director of Health, and the Deputy Directors of the present four DOH Administrations (see the Department of Health Administrative History).