VASCO: Amid conflicting claims that air passengers were not being screened for symptoms of the deadly Ebola virus disease, Dabolim Airport Terminal Manager Anil Thakur has insisted that Dabolim airport has been screening all passengers arriving by international flights at Dabolim.
He was responding to claims by some travel agencies that passengers on international flights were not being screened at the Dabolim airport.
“In fact, Dabolim airport was the first airport to implement the directions of the Union government on Ebola screening facilities. We have installed a Disease Surveillance Unit to ensure protection from Ebola virus. We also have counters with banners and two doctors in attendance, one from the Chicalim Cottage Hospital and another from the Airport Authority of India, to check the passengers whenever an international flight arrives at the airport,” added Thakur.
Responding to claims by airport sources and some airline agencies that the airport authority had not made any arrangement to screen passengers for symptoms of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, Thakur replied: “The counters are makeshift and whenever there is an international flight, the doctors are informed. Accordingly, the counters with Ebola banners are erected inside the airport at the arrival lounge.”
Thakur, however, added that efforts in this direction would be stepped up as additional international flights arrive at Dabolim airport.
“As regular charters flights will start from October 16, more counters will be erected and more doctors would be pressed into service to scan the foreign tourists. We will leave no stone unturned to create an awareness of Ebola virus. We will scan each and every passenger to avoid any doubt in the minds of other tourists,” said Thakur.
