The Director, Port Health Services, Lagos, Dr. Alex Okoh, has appealed to air travellers to always cooperate with health officials at the airports in the screening process against diseases, including the Ebola Virus, noting that the objective of the medical officials is to prevent another spread of Ebola virus in the country.
Okoh made the appeal at this year's safety summit of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN) held recently in Lagos.
According to Okoh, with the high volume of passengers this season, care must be taken to avoid another outbreak of any dreaded disease in the country and urged passengers to always abide by the instructions given by port health officials at the airport.
The Director who spoke at the event with the theme, Aviation Safety Management in Nigeria: Evolution or Revolution, explained that efforts by Port Health to keep diseases away from Nigeria by checking arriving passengers was part of the safety programme aimed at ensuring that travellers are safe.
Okoh said, although Nigeria has been certified Ebola free by the World Health Organisation (WHO), there might still be the risk of any outbreak due to the large movement of people through the various port of entries.
The Health Director therefore called for concerted action to ensure that Nigeria continues to be Ebola free, adding that complacency was dangerous and awareness and sensitisation drive ought to be intensified so that travellers would understand the need to submit themselves to be checked at the airports.
Okoh noted that to stop Ebola through the nation's airports, passengers and airlines must subject themselves to screening and support the measures put in place in containing the spread to make the job of the port health officials easy.
According to Okoh on a daily basis, six to 10 thousands passengers are screened and that efforts are being made to install walk through body scanners at the airports.
The port health official also called for continued implementation of public health measures and screening activities at all points, assuring air travellers of constant monitoring of in-bound and out-bound passengers.
Meanwhile, the president of Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria, Kingsley Nwokoma has called for expansion of the cargo apron at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Ikeja.
According to Nwokoma, the expansion of the apron would generate more revenue for the government, especially at this time of dwindling oil prices.
He noted that one of the positives of the year was the construction of the ultra-modern warehouse by Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), stressing that it has added value to the industry and also entrenched healthy competition.
Nwokoma said: “With safety in our hands, we must prioritise it, practice it and promote it".
He noted that with the challenges in the aviation industry that the sector was still on the path of recovery, which can only recover fully when stakeholders in the industry make safety related issues to be on the front burner.
Nwokoma commended the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka for setting up committee to look into aeronautical and non-aeronautical charges which AFARN was a representative.
Also the Director, Airport Operations, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Henry Omeogu stressed on the need for other agencies to join hands in protecting the lives and safety of travellers.
Chinedu Eze
ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
STOP paying for airtime and electricity, Let your phone pay its bills with ScreenT
You may also like
Comrade Lemii Christian Emerges Chairman of NANNM Rivers State Branch in Historic Victory
PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA Following the long awaited National Association of N…
FG Supports Robotic Surgery Expansion to Reduce Medical Tourism
Nigeria is taking another step toward strengthening specialised healthcare …
Complete Knee Replacement Rehabilitation Package in Lagos
Knee replacement surgery is a major step toward pain relief and improved mo…
NAMDA threatens strike over unpaid medical lecturers’ allowances
The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) has warned…
Resident Doctors Signal End to Strike Threat After High-Level Talks with Gbajabiamila
The threat of a nationwide indefinite strike by the Nigerian Association of…
