FG deploys additional scanning equipment to airports

The Federal Government has deployed additional equipment to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, in a bid to forestall any outbreak of the Ebola disease.

According to reports, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently confirmed that one person died from the dreaded disease in Congo.

Airport officials have been laced on high alert and relevant agencies and medical personnel asked to step up observation and screening.

According to Punch, the Acting General Manager, Public Affairs, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said "Of course, the Congo incident has called for increased surveillance and screening. I’ve spoken with our doctors in Lagos, Port Health officials as well as those in Abuja and FAAN will definitely come up with something. There has to be increased surveillance now that Ebola has been detected in Congo.

“By tomorrow, we will definitely come out with other things that FAAN is doing with respect to the issue you raised and I’ll let you know.

“However, 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 rest rooms too.”

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"These scanners are fixed apparatus at the arrival halls that take the picture and temperature of any given passenger at a particular time as the traveller passes through them. And we have Port Health officers behind the apparatus.

“So, once it detects a temperature that is above normal, the officials will just single you out immediately and take you out of the queue for further screening. That screening or exercise is going on up till this moment.

“In fact, the equipment and officials have never been removed even after the last Ebola incident. They are now fixed apparatus in the arrival hall. We have it in Abuja and in Lagos airports. I’ll have to confirm that of Port Harcourt, but I’m sure they are in Abuja and Lagos.

“Also going by the latest incident, we are increasing our screening,” the FAAN spokesperson added.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared Nigeria to be Ebola free on October 20, 2014.