Dabolim airport revises SOPs after Centre issues Ebola virus warning

Panaji: With the Centre asking all international airports to keep a watch for passengers with symptoms of Ebola, Goa International Airport, Dabolim, reviewed the existing health screening measures and standard operating procedures (SOPs).The airport health office (APHO), which reports to the Centre’s director general of health services, conducted a briefing and sensitisation meeting for all stakeholders at the airport.“No case of Ebola has been found in India and we hope that it stays that way. We are preparing for it. We discussed our preparedness, the SOPs to be followed and the APHO explained the medical difference between Covid-19 and Ebola, the difference in precautions,” airport director Akash Deep said.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued SOPs for airlines following the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern.Passengers have been asked to immediately report symptoms such as fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or bleeding to airline crew members as well as immigration or medical authorities upon arrival.Airlines have also been instructed to maintain adequate stock of triple-layer masks, disposable gloves, PPE kits, hand sanitisers and biohazard disposal bags.Goa does not have any direct flights to the African region. The DGCA has also urged passengers that if symptoms develop within 21 days of arrival in India, they should seek medical assistance from designated hospitals and inform the airport health office.“We took a round around the terminal to identify the various contact points because this virus is more to do with contact,” said Deep.The DGCA said airlines operating connectivity with Uganda and Congo are required to ensure mandatory filing and collection of self-declaration forms before passengers disembark.