DGCA issues Ebola SOP for airlines, directs mandatory passenger screening

India’s aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed airlines to ensure that passengers travelling from or transiting through Ebola-stricken Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) mandatorily fill out self-declaration forms before deboarding, in a bid to prevent potential transmission of the disease.

The DGCA has also made it compulsory for airlines to broadcast specific health announcements during flights to help identify possible Ebola cases early and prevent the spread of the disease.

The move comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) classified the Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

“Countries bordering the DRC and Uganda, including South Sudan, have been assessed as being at a high risk of disease transmission,” a DGCA office order dated May 22 stated.

According to its new standard operating procedures (SOPs), all passengers and crew members, irrespective of nationality, will be required to fill out self-declaration forms (SDFs) and submit them at designated immigration or health counters on arrival in India.

Passengers, especially, have been asked to immediately report symptoms such as fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, rash, or bleeding to airline crew members as well as immigration or medical authorities upon arrival.

The DGCA has also directed airlines to advise travellers that if Ebola-related symptoms develop within 21 days of arrival in India, they should immediately seek medical assistance at designated hospitals and inform airport health authorities.

Separately, all airlines operating in and around the regions facing the Ebola outbreak have been asked to designate a single cabin crew member to exclusively care for the symptomatic patient, along with ensuring disinfection of the aircraft after landing.

For this, targeted training for crew members will have to be conducted regarding public safety measures to be executed during the flight.