ABUJA (Min of Health Report) –The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced its plan to replace all old versions of Yellow Card, with a new e-Yellow Card with effect from July 1st, 2019.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Abdulaziz Mashi Abdullahi, made this announcement in his office recently, stating that the new Card has enhanced security features that can be verified anywhere in the world, by scanning the bar code, or checking the card number on the Yellow Card portal.
According to him, the introduction of the new e-Yellow Card, otherwise known as International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), is meant to address the issue of fake Yellow Cards which has hitherto, constituted a source of national embarrassment.
Mr. Abdullahi stressed that with effect from July 1st 2019, the new e- Yellow card would be the only valid documented proof of vaccination against yellow fever.
While highlighting the importance of the yellow fever vaccine for which the yellow card is documented for, 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.
Mr. Abdullahi, noted that some countries, including Nigeria were endemic with yellow fever, as such, travelers to affected countries are at risk of exposure to the infection; hence, the mandatory vaccination against the disease.
To this end, the Permanent Secretary said that according to the World Health Organisation’s(WHO) recommendation, all international travellers, nine months of age and above, who are visiting Nigeria must be vaccinated against yellow fever.
The Permanent Secretary 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 their e- Yellow Cards from the Division.
This makes us all a part of the global coalition/movement to eliminate yellow fever epidemics by 2026, Mr. Abdullahi asserted.
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Boade Akinola,
Director, Media and Public Relations
