Ebola: FAAN Pledges Safety of Nigeria Travellers

Chinedu Eze
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has reassured air travellers and other airport users that it would do everything possible to ensure that Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) does enter Nigeria through the airports.

In line with that, the agency has activated its processes and in collaboration with Port Health Services will ensure thorough screening of in-bound passengers, even as the federal government mulls over restraining flights from certain destinations if the disease spreads to other countries.

Currently there is no direct commercial flight from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Nigeria, but government may also review private charter and other flight services that might emanate from the affected country.

In assuring air travellers, FAAN remarked that since the first recorded case of the virus in Nigeria, through an American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, it has not relaxed its surveillance at the airports to forestall any re-occurrence.
The General Manager, Corporate Affairs of the Authority, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said that all the equipment and personnel used in combating the virus in 2014 are still very much at the airports.

“We have always had thermal scanners in our airports that monitor temperature of passengers and capture their pictures. We still have hand sanitiser in our restrooms too. When passengers walk pass the scanners, it registers their temperature. If yours is high, you are pulled aside for observation.”

The Authority noted that all relevant agencies, including the Port Health Services have been mobilised and are collaborating effectively to ensure the safety of passengers and airport users at all time.
In 2014 Nigeria effectively fought Ebola and prevented it from spreading in the country by quarantining and checkmating those that contracted the disease.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sentitised the world with the Nigerian action model for prevention and treatment of Ebola virus, as Nigeria’s anti-Ebola procedure was adopted all over the world

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