Aviation Minister, Others Collaborate to stop Entry Of Covid-19 into Nigeria

Oru Leonard

Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika today revealed that the nation’s international airports have been collaborating effectively with relevant agencies to ensure the dreaded Covid-19 does not find it’s way into the country.

Sirika made this known with the Ministers of Health, Information and Humanitarian Services after inspecting facilities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja to check it’s preparedness to forestall a spread of the virus in the country.

Sirika said FAAN is working closely with Port Health, Agriculture Quarantine, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Immigration Services and other stakeholders including ground handlers.

He said that the Port Health Emergency Contingency Plan (PHECP) which was designed to detect, prevent and respond to any infectious diseases and outbreak has been effected.

It’s successful implementation, according to Sirika, depends on strategies and activities based on the collaboration of relevant agencies and resolve of individuals to mitigate the entry and spread of the disease into the country.

“We have entry screening for arriving pass for all flights by Port Health Services using the temperature scanners, we are also collecting travel history information and carrying out physical observation of all incoming passengers,” Sirika said

“we are also focusing on early recognition and isolation of suspected passengers with facilities to transport them to designated hospitals and trace those that have had contact with them.”

“We also have a designated conducive holding area for Port Health Services in case of suspected cases on any aircraft”, Sirika said.