With over 6,000 people having died of Ebola according to the World Health Organisation, measures to contain the pandemic are more important than ever before.
So how does Chennai screen and monitor those coming from the Ebola-hit nations? What are the procedures followed? Is the city’s airport equipped to handle any pandemic — whether it is Ebola, Avian flu, or Corona Virus?
On an average, about 4,000 passengers arrive at the international terminal of Chennai airport every day. Of these, around 2,000 passengers are from the five Ebola-hit countries — Sierra Leone, Congo, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria. Though there are no direct flights from these countries to the city, passengers can travel via the Middle East. There are about nine flights including Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Jet Airways and Oman Air that fly between the Middle East and Chennai every day.
According to the directorate of public health (DPH), procedures begin on the aircraft itself. An announcement is made asking passengers travelling from Ebola-hit countries as well as those who have fever or any respiratory symptoms to fill out a health card.
“If a passenger displays any symptoms on the flight, he is isolated as best as possible and one member of the flight crew is nominated to see to him. A separate lavatory is earmarked for him. Both the passenger and the crew member are given personal protective equipment such as a cap, masks and gloves, which are carried on the aircraft. All the aircraft crew are trained to handle such a situation,” said S. Balasubramanian, joint director (epidemics), DPH.
Once the flight lands, the passengers go through a thermal imaging scan, which picks up those presenting with elevated temperatures. One portion of the health card which contains the passenger’s full name, address and mobile number is given to the health authorities, while the other portion goes to the immigration authorities in the separate queue for these passengers.
For a passenger with symptoms, a temporary isolation room has been set aside at the airport and a 108 ambulance kept in readiness with personal protective equipment to take the passenger to hospital, he said.
“A separate restroom has been earmarked for passengers from these countries to use, and it is then disinfected. All passengers from Ebola-hit countries are monitored for 30 days. If a passenger with symptoms is on the flight, then along with the other passengers, the flight crew is also monitored for 30 days,” said Dr. Balasubramanian.
The Airports Council International and International Civil Aviation Organisation have suggested that every airport operator be involved in national and international preparedness measures to reduce the risk of the disease spreading. Also, besides the airport staff, those not directly employed by the operator should also be trained to handle such emergencies.
“There could be discrepancies in some places. For instance, the screening at the Metro airports may be good but the tier-II cities are not given enough focus,” said an Airports Authority of India official. The ground staff must also be screened as a preventive measure, he said.
“We have not had such a case as yet. But if we are to carry a passenger with Ebola symptoms then we have provided the cabin crew with personal protective equipment that they must use to handle the person and on arrival, we fumigate the aircraft. Subsequently, the cabin crew is also screened at the airport,” an airline official said.
