History
The Public Health Section of Police Department of Taipei Prefecture during the Japanese occupation was the precursor of Taipei Countys public health administrative agencies. It was taken over by the Taipei Prefecture Takeover Commission in November 1945 and was renamed the Public Health Section under the Taipei Prefecture Takeover Commission. When the Taipei County Government was established on January 16, 1946, the Public Health Section was under the jurisdiction of the Civil Affairs Bureau. On May 15, 1946, it was renamed the Taipei County Public Health Office. The office was located at 44 Liangzhou Road , Taipei City. In consideration of the spacious territory and high population density of Taipei County, it was necessary to establish a grassroots health institution to extend health care and public health services throughout the county. Therefore, local health centers were established one after another in local townships since January 1949. By September 1959, the goal of "one health center for one township" was achieved as a total of 33 health centers had been established. Since July 1, 1961, local health centers were under the jurisdiction of township offices and became subordinate agencies of township offices through an executive order. In April 1962, all local public health offices became public health bureaus due to reorganization. It was the time that the official name of Taipei County Public Health Bureau with 6 sections and 2 offices was finalized. Since March 5, 1963, all local health centers were under the supervision and command of respective public health bureaus. In September 1984, the Taipei County Public Health Bureau was reorganized into 7 sections and 3 offices. On April 1, 1994, the Taipei County Public Health Bureau was reorganized again into 7 sections and 4 offices. On March 23, 2000, the Taipei County Public Health Bureau was reorganized for the third time under the Taipei County Government into 7 sections and 4 offices (where the First, Second and Fifth Section were combined, becoming the Health Section and Disease Control Section; Third Section was changed to the Medical Affairs Section; Fourth Section was changed to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Section; Sixth Section was changed to the Laboratory Section; Seventh Section was changed to the Food Safety Section; Planning Section was added). On December 15, 2003, the organization and duties of the Taipei County Government Public Health Bureau was readjusted in line with the functions of the Taipei County Chronic Disease Center (the Medical Affairs Section and Food Safety Section were combined as the Pharmaceutical and Food Management Section, and the Health Information Section was established to administer the local health centers and county hospitals of 29 townships in the county). To prepare for the promotion of Taipei County to a quasi-centrally-governed municipality, the Taipei County Government Public Health Bureau was reorganized into 8 sections and 4 offices on October 1, 2007 (the Health Section was changed to the Health Management Division, the Disease Control Section was changed to the Disease Control Division, the Medical Affairs Section was changed to the Medical Affairs Division, the Pharmaceutical and Food Management Section was changed to the Pharmaceutical and Food Management Division, the Laboratory Section was changed to the Laboratory Division, the Planning Section was changed to the Health Planning Division , the Health Inspection Division was added; and the establishment of the Mental Health and Long-term Care Management Division was held.) On December 25,2010,the Taipei County Government Public Health Bureau was renamed the Department of Health, New Taipei City Government. On March 1, 2018, the Division of Mental Health and Long-Term Care Management was divided into Mental Health Division and Senior and Long-term Care Division.