The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a new directive to all airlines operating regional and international flights into Nigeria to allow passengers without International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), known as Yellow card board henceforth.
This directive according to the NCAA spokesman, Mr. Sam Adurogboye supersedes the earlier one issued on compulsory possession of Yellow Card.
The earlier directive had made the yellow card mandatory thereby creating rowdiness at the Port Health Service (PHS) office in Lagos as passengers rushed to obtain the card.
It was reported that many passengers who stormed the PHS office at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos could not get the card.
A passenger said, “I have a flight this night but I am being told the card is not available. There seems to be scarcity of the yellow card.”
But with the counter directive on Friday, some passengers who have been scrambling for the card would heave a sigh of relief. NCAA however advised passengers to be vaccinated accordingly at Points of Entry where the process for obtaining the e-yellow card will be initiated.
The policy shift followed a letter received from the Federal Ministry of Health dated 11th March, 2020 reviewing the implementation of the operationalisation of Nigeria Points of Entry policy on the prevention and control of cross border transmission of Yellow fever.
Adurogboye said: “The review of the policy arose from the competing priority of the ongoing entry screening of our Points of Entry by the Port Health Services for COVID-19. Hence, entry screening of passengers due to the COVID-19 outbreak will be prioritized by the Port Health Services ″until the outbreak has been effectively contained.”
The NCAA stated that all airlines operating these flights are to, from 11th March, 2020 implement the reviewed policy of the Federal Ministry of Health.
It explained that Passengers coming to Nigeria without documented proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever (valid yellow card) are allowed to board but be advised that they will be vaccinated accordingly at Points of Entry and the process for obtaining the e-yellow card will be initiated; It appealed to the affected Airlines to communicate this policy to their passengers accordingly.
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