The Federal Government have begun moves to sanction Kenya Airways for conveying a dead body from the Ebola-stricken Democratic republic of Congo to the country without due diligence.
Speaking at a joint news conference Thursday in Ikeja, Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Jide Idris said “the airline brought the remains of this Nigerian without all necessary documentations that are required to process its clearance by the Department of Port Health Services, Federal Ministry of Health.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria and relevant agencies condemn this deliberate breach,” he said.
The Commissioner also revealed that “in line with industry practice, a report has been made to the Nigerian Civil Aviation, the regulatory agency of the Nigerian aviation industry on the occurrence” and that “necessary steps are being taken by the regulatory authority to sanction the airline in a bid to prevent future occurrence.”
Thisday had reported that a Kenyan Airways, Monday, flight flew into the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, a corpse from the DRC which is battling a fresh outbreak of the dread Ebola virus.
However, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Wednesday confirmed that the corpse tested negative for the virus but refused to divulge the cause of the deceased’s death, citing medical confidentiality.
Nigeria successfully curtailed the spread of the deadly virus in 2014 after it was first “imported” into the country in July of that year, under similar circumstances, following the arrival of a sick Liberian from the then Ebola-stricken West Africa neighbours. The Liberian, Patrick Sawyer had arrived the MMIA aboard Asky Airline flight.
Eight Nigerians died from the virus within a three-month epidemic.
