Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for 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.
According to the new directives, airlines operating flights connected to Uganda and Congo must ensure mandatory filing and collection of self-declaration forms from passengers before disembarkation. The move is aimed at strengthening airport health surveillance and preventing the possible spread of the disease into India.
The DGCA has also instructed airlines to make special in-flight health announcements to help identify potential Ebola cases early. Passengers have been advised to immediately report symptoms such as fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding to cabin crew members and airport health authorities upon arrival.
The advisory further states that travellers who develop symptoms within 21 days of arriving in India should seek immediate medical attention at designated hospitals and inform airport health officials about their recent travel history. The monitoring period aligns with international Ebola surveillance protocols.
For suspected Ebola cases onboard aircraft, the SOP directs airlines to relocate the passenger to the rear section of the aircraft whenever possible. Additionally, three rows around the passenger should ideally remain vacant to reduce possible exposure to other travellers during the flight.
Airlines have also been instructed to maintain adequate supplies of protective equipment, including triple-layer masks, disposable gloves, PPE kits, hand sanitisers and bio-hazard disposal bags. The new guidelines form part of India’s preventive public health measures and enhanced aviation safety protocols following the international health alert.
