By Donald Iorchir
Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said it had intensified surveillance at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to checkmate “import” of infectious diseases.FAAN’s Deputy General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, who disclosed yesterday in Abuja, to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that all agencies operating at the airport had been put on alert.
Yakubu said the authority was working closely with the Port Health Services and other relevant agencies to ensure that all international passengers were properly screened on arrival.
She disclosed that FAAN’s medical team had been put on red alert, adding that all staff had also been cautioned on the need to maintained restraints in their contact with passengers.
According to her, FAAN has sensitised all agencies’ representatives in the airport on the need to watch out for any incoming passenger with either high fever, headache or body aches.
She said: “The officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the rest have all been informed about this.
“Recently, we heard over the media that Ebola had resurfaced in Liberia; the head of the port health services in the airport consequently sent a circular to all agencies informing them to be alert. The circular also asked the staff to be wary of being too close to passengers.”
She said that the surveillance was currently being carried out at the international arrival area, but would be extended to the local wing.