Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ne Uganda aur Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) se aane aur jaane wali flights ke liye comprehensive Ebola preparedness guidelines jari ki hain. Ye directive WHO ke alert ke baad aaya hai, jo is outbreak ke baare mein bataya gaya hai. Directive May 22, 2026 ko jari kiya gaya hai aur iske tahat airlines ko strict health screening measures, onboard isolation protocols, aur sabhi passengers ke liye compulsory self-declaration forms lena mandatory hai jo India mein affected regions se ya uske through travel kar rahe hain.
Naye Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) ke tahat, airlines jaise Air India, IndiGo, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways, aur Kenya Airways ko har passenger se India mein deboarding se pehle Self-Declaration Forms (SDFs) collect karna hoga. Form mein 21 din ke travel history, Ebola patients ke contact, current symptoms, aur post-arrival monitoring ke liye contact details jaise details collect ki jaayengi. Thermal screening sabhi passengers ke liye arrival par mandatory hai, aur ye enhanced screening protocols Chennai International Airport par May 24, 2026 se shuru ho gaye hain.
In-flight procedures ke tahat, cabin crew ko specific announcements karni hain taaki symptomatic passengers—jaise fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, ya bleeding dikh rahe hain—turant crew ko report karein. Jab koi symptomatic passenger identify ho jata hai, toh airlines ko ek single crew member ko uske saath assign karna hoga aur use aircraft ke peeche wale hisse mein shift karna hoga. SOP ke hisaab se, suspected passenger ko peeche wale hisse mein seat dena hoga, aur kam se kam teen rows khali rakhni hain taaki contact minimize ho sake. Personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, aur bio-hazard disposal bags ko onboard ready rakhna hoga.
Agar koi suspected Ebola case milta hai, toh airlines ko airport health authorities, Air Traffic Control (ATC), aur airport operators ke saath coordinate karna hoga taaki aircraft ko designated isolated bay mein park kiya ja sake. Asymptomatic passengers pehle deboard karenge, jabki suspected cases aur designated caregivers ko health teams ko alag se transfer kiya jayega further medical evaluation ke liye. Aircraft ko landing ke baad complete disinfection se guzarna hoga, aur sabhi passengers aur crew ko symptoms ke liye monitor kiya jayega.
DGCA ne targeted crew training aur relevant flights par adequate stock of protective gear ko bhi emphasize kiya hai. Affected airlines ki list mein major carriers jaise Air India, IndiGo, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways, aur Kenya Airways ke alawa bhi kai international operators hain jo Uganda aur DRC se connected routes par operate karte hain.
India ke sabhi airports se ummeed hai ki ye measures DGCA aur local health authorities ke saath coordination mein implement kiye jaayenge. Ye SOP global health advisories ke hisaab se proactive stance dikhata hai taaki Ebola ke entry aur spread ko prevent kiya ja sake aur high-risk regions se travel karne wale passengers ki safety ensure ho sake.
