By Ramadhan Rajab and Jeremiah Kiplang’at

All airlines will be required to submit online health declaration forms for their passengers before landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Ms Grace Thirikwa (left), a nursing officer at the Eldoret International Airport, screens Ms Nyambane Moraa, on arrival from Sharjar in Dubai on Wednesday. [PHOTO: Peter Ochieng/Standard]

This is a new Government prerequisite to step up surveillance against the highly contagious virus.

Mr Philip Ndania, the Port Public Health Officer at JKIA told The Standard the move would help collect and scrutinise health data for those getting into the country.

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"This will enhance communication and an easier vetting exercise. We don’t want to let anything to chance. The submission will provide passengers’ countries of origin and their health details," Ndania said.

Further scrutiny

Apart from the submission, Ndania said there were other two surveillance forms at the arrivals, to be filled by the passengers.

The first form gives general information of all the passengers while those suspected to have Swine Flu symptoms fill the other one. They are then put under an isolation room at the port for further scrutiny.

And the Eldoret International Airport has started screening crew of cargo planes for the Swine Flu virus.

Airport Manager Peter Wafula said although cargo planes carry few passengers, they were not taking any chances.

"They are usually two or four crew members. The pilot and the co-pilot sometimes do not even leave the plane," he told The Standard.