The fresh outbreak of the disease has again brought unease to world especially the African continent in view of the troubles attached to the fighting of the deadly virus due to the high risk it poses to humans.
The experience of 2015 can never be forgotten in a hurry in Nigeria when the virus was carelessly imported into Nigeria by the late Liberia/American born diplomat, Patrick Sawyer through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Thank God for the resilience of the Federal Government through its agencies, particularly the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Port Health Services under the ministry of health, aviation parastatals, airlines and other stakeholders.
The terrible experience shook the foundation of the aviation sector deeper as the Lagos airport in particular happened to be the battle ground through where Sawyer accessed the country and had contact with many people after his flight landed.
It will still be recalled that the different steps taken by FAAN in conjunction with the relevant authorities then, to curtail the spread of the killer disease which included thorough screening of inbound flights and passengers, checking of passengers’ temperature with the help of thermal scanners and provision of hand sanitizer among others.
In order words, FAAN with other sister agencies were seriously on top of the situation which was largely responsible for the ability of the government to prevent the spread of the disease through the country’s airports.
No wonder that when the news of the fresh outbreak of the disease in the DRC became known, FAAN wasted no time in hitting the ground running to prevent a repeat of the late Patrick Sawyer experience.
Presently, all passengers traveling through the airports particularly the international airports must now go through a medical screening being conducted by the Port Health Services while vaccination certificates of passengers will be thoroughly scrutinised and thermal scanners being used to check temperature of the passengers.
Confirming the readiness of FAAN to prevent a repeat of the past experience, the Corporate Communications Manager at FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu told the Tribune Aviation that there was no cause for alarm calling on all airport users to go about their daily businesses as the authority will never leave any stone unturned.
“There is no cause for alarm, as we are fully ready nip any chance of a repeat in the bud. We have never relaxed our surveillance mechanism since the last incident. At our airports, all passengers are screened for the possibility of being a carrier and if there is suspicion with respect to any passenger, such passenger will be isolated and thoroughly checked.”
As FAAN with the help of the ministry health and other relevant aviation agencies come up with more preventive measures this period, it has become imperative for passengers to cooperate fully with relevant officials at the airports, particularly the international airports.
While airport workers should be more vigilant, it is also expected that security officials including the FAAN aviation security, immigrations and other relevant key players will be patriotic enough to ensure all inbound passengers are thoroughly screened.
Searchlight should also be beamed on foreign flights especially those coming into the country from the region the disease is ravaging presently as this will dissuade a carrier of the disease from repeating the late Patrick Sawyer saga.
Equally, airport workers who are the first to mingle with inbound passengers should be well enlightened and kitted to be able to do their work without fear of contracting the disease.
Obviously, there is the need for government to back up FAAN with more funds and medical facilities that will keep the organisation on its feet all round as no amount of money spent that can be compared to innocent lives of Nigerians.
While all hands must be on the deck, all the apparatus needed to stop anyone from importing the disease into the country through the airports or other borders this time around should be prevented through absolute vigilance.
and then