…No visible checks at Abuja Int’l arrival terminals despite FAAN’s surveillance assurance
Nigeria stands at the risk of a second wave of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) if the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) fail to aggressively intensify surveillance, mandatory screenings, and quarantines at the nation’s gateways at all ports of entry and exit of the West African nation.
The airport authority, FAAN, has made numerous assurances to this effect; however, operations at departure terminals are proceeding largely as normal, with glaring gaps in pre-flight screening. This situation is near critical, understanding that the continent is under the threat of a broader epidemic, either arising from the fast spreading Ebola or Hantavirus, which is being monitored in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
BusinessDay’s findings at both the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 2 in Lagos revealed a stark contrast between official public health directives and on-the-ground execution.
While arriving international passengers face functional containment bottlenecks, departing travellers are passing through standard security channels with no visible health surveillance or Ebola-related checks.
