Airport Officials Intensify Ebola Screening

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in conjunction with other Federal Government officials at airports has intensified screening of arriving passengers for the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which is currently ravaging in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Federal Government had ordered emergency surveillance activities at all ports of entry to ensure the virus does not creep into the shores of Nigeria again.

Checks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos yesterday showed that all passengers arriving into the country were subjected to the screening.

When our correspondent visited the arrival area of the MMIA, infrared thermometer scanners and a thermal camera were some of the equipment deployed to check the temperature of the passengers.


Passengers who arrived from Dubai and Nairobi Kenya via Emirates and Kenya Airways were seen undergoing the process before going through the immigration screening.

The thermal camera captures the image of a passenger as he or she enters the secure area before reaching the immigration screening point.

As the image is captured, the temperature of the subject is immediately detected by the Port Health Officer operating the large-screen computer system. This is in addition to the handheld infrared scanner being used to screen the passengers.