NCAA Warns Foreign Airlines Against Boarding Passengers Without Ebola Health Forms

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned international airlines against allowing passengers and crew members to board flights to Nigeria without completing the mandatory Health Declaration Form, threatening sanctions against carriers that violate the directive.

The aviation regulator issued the directive in a circular to all international airlines following the confirmation of an Ebola case in Nigeria. The updated requirement followed advice from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States and Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under the directive, all passengers scheduled to arrive in Nigeria must complete and submit the prescribed health declaration form before boarding. The requirement applies to every category of traveller, including diplomats, legislators, children, adults and aircrew.

The NCAA stated that airlines would be held accountable if they permitted passengers to board without fulfilling the requirement. Offending carriers would face sanctions in accordance with existing laws and Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. The NCAA directed all international airlines to implement the measures immediately and ensure strict compliance as part of efforts to strengthen public health surveillance and prevent the spread of Ebola through international air travel.

By Oshuniran Sheriff Ola