The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued guidance on Monday to airlines after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
In an order dated May 22, the DGCA said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has issued standard operating procedures for health preparedness in view of the outbreak. The order noted that countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, including South Sudan, “have been assessed as being at high risk of disease transmission.”
Mandatory self-declaration for passengers
As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), airlines operating in direct or indirect contact with Uganda and DRC have been directed to ensure mandatory submission and collection of self-declaration forms from passengers arriving from or transiting through the affected countries before arriving in India.
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The DGCA also directed airlines to make specific announcements on board regarding Ebola symptoms and reporting procedures.
“In light of the current threat of Ebola in some countries, any traveler experiencing fever, weakness, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and bleeding should inform airline staff and the immigration/medical unit immediately upon arrival. This is important for early diagnosis for rapid management and prevention of the spread of the disease.”
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The SOP also stated that “all passengers (passengers and crew members), regardless of their nationality, will be required to fill out a self-declaration form and hand it over to the Immigration/Allocator Office.”
“If any of these symptoms appear within 21 days of arrival in India, the traveler should seek medical assistance from designated hospitals and also inform the airport health office.”
Detailed on-board protocol for suspected Ebola cases
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has established specific containment procedures that must be followed if a passenger develops symptoms during the flight.
Under the SOP, airlines must designate one cabin crew member to exclusively care for a symptomatic passenger and move the person to the back of the plane to minimize exposure to other passengers.
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The guidelines also require airlines to:
- Keep three rows in front, behind and next to the suspected case as empty as possible
- Allocate a separate bathroom exclusively for the suspected passenger
- Providing masks and personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Provide three-layer masks to passengers seated nearby
- Ensure complete disinfection of the aircraft immediately upon landing
The SOP also directed the operating staff to immediately share details of the suspected passenger with the Airport Health Organization (APHO), including seat number, symptoms observed, details of nearby passengers for symptom monitoring for 21 days and information about the designated caregiver or flight attendant.
Airlines requested equipment maintenance and crew training
The DGCA also directed airlines to conduct targeted training for crew members on public health measures that must be followed during flights.
The order stipulates that aircraft must be adequately equipped with:
- First aid kits and universal precaution kits according to ICAO guidelines
- Triple layer masks
- Disposable hand gloves
- Personal protective equipment kits
- Hand sanitizers
- Biohazard disposal bags
No case of Ebola has been reported in India so far
The Indian government said on Monday that no case of Ebola virus disease has been reported in India so far, as Union Health Minister JP Nadda reviewed preparedness and surveillance measures to prevent any possible outbreak in India.
