Following the fresh outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, screening and surveillance activities have been intensified at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
The Federal Executive Council had on Wednesday ordered the Ministry of Health to scale up emergency surveillance activities at all ports of entry.
With the directive, relevant authorities at the airport immediately reactivated screening equipment with passengers especially those entering the country.
A source at the airport confirmed the development, “Though relevant authorities especially the Port Health Services desk have been doing their job but with the directive coming from the government and the outbreak of the disease in Congo, all hands are now more on deck to arrest any eventuality”.
On its part, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) also confirmed that it has not relaxed its surveillance while assuring passengers of their safety in all the airports.
The General Manager, Public Affairs of FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said since the first recorded case of the virus in Nigeria, through an American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, the Authority has not relaxed its surveillance at the airports, saying all the equipment and personnel used in combatting 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 sanitisers in our restrooms too. When passengers walk pass the scanners, it registers their temperature. If yours is high, you are pulled aside for observation”, she said.
