Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 in Abuja said nation’s international airports had been collaborating effectively with relevant agencies to ensure the dreaded Covid-19 did not find its way into the country.
Sirika made this known alongside the Ministers of Health, Information and of Humanitarian Services after inspecting facilities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, to check its preparedness to forestall spread of the virus in the country.
A statement signed by Mr James Odaudu, Director of Public Affairs in the Ministry of Aviation, quoted Sirika as saying that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was working closely with Port Health.
Other stakeholders Sirika said that the FAAN was working closely with are Agriculture Quarantine, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and ground handlers.
He said the Port Health Emergency Contingency Plan (PHECP) which was designed to detect, prevent and respond to any infectious diseases and outbreak had been effected.
The minister said successful implementation by PHECP depended on strategies and activities based on collaboration of relevant agencies to mitigate the entry and spread of the disease into the country.
“We have entry screening for arriving passed 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.
“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.
By Gabriel Agbeja
