The Federal Government has announced plan to completely phase out all old versions of Yellow card which would be replaced with a new E-Yellow card with effect from July 1, 2019.
Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Abdulaziz Mashi Abdullahi, who announced this in Abuja, explained that the new Card has an enhanced security features that could be verified anywhere in the world by scanning the bar code or checking the card number on the Yellow Card portal.
This is contained in a statement by the ministry’s Director of Media and Public Relations, Mrs. Boade Akinola, who quoted the Permanent Secretary as having said the introduction of the new E-Yellow Card, otherwise known as International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), is to address the issue of fake Yellow cards which constitute a source of embarrassment.
He further said that with effect from July 1, 2019, the new E-Yellow card would be the only valid documented proof of vaccination against yellow fever in the country.
Highlighting the importance of the yellow fever vaccine for which the yellow card is a documented proof, the Permanent Secretary said that Yellow fever, a viral haemorrhagic fever, caused by a virus transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito is a potentially fatal illness but vaccine preventable.
Abdullahi noted that some countries, including Nigeria were endemic for yellow fever and as such, travelers to affected (endemic) countries were at risk of exposure to infection by the yellow fever virus; hence, the requirement for mandatory vaccination against the disease.
Akinola said the Permanent Secretary informed that according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation, all international travelers, nine months of age and above, visiting Nigeria should be vaccinated against yellow fever.
She further said; “Also, additional measures have been adopted at points of entry for the prevention and control of yellow fever, which involves mandatory requirement of evidence of vaccination against Yellow fever on arrival in Nigeria.”
The Permanent Secretary stressed that some countries also require evidence of vaccination against yellow fever as a condition for entry.
In his words; “From 1st July 2019, travelers arriving Nigeria without proof of Yellow Fever vaccination would be vaccinated with the yellow fever vaccine at points of entry and issued the Card, after payment.”
Abdullahi therefore enjoined the travelling public to cooperate with the Ministry through Port Health Services Division, to prevent and control cross-border transmission of yellow fever by complying with laid down measures at points of entry and obtaining the E-Yellow Cards from the Division.
He said this would make all a part of the global coalition/movement to eliminate yellow fever epidemics by 2026.
