New Yellow Card Needed For Those Travelling Out Of Nigeria From July 1 – FG

The Federal Government has phased out all old versions of Yellow Card, adding that it will be replaced with a new e-Yellow Card with effect from Monday, July 1.

This is coming less than a week after the Nigeria Immigration Service commenced the issuance of the enhanced 10-year validity e-passport at the Ikoyi Passport office, Lagos, Naija News reports.

Explaining this is the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Abdulaziz Mashi Abdullahi, who spoke in Abuja yesterday

According to him, the introduction of the new e-Yellow Card, also known as International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), was to address the issue of fake Yellow Cards that has hitherto constituted a source of national embarrassment.

Mr. Abdullahi noted that the new card is to enhance 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.

Abdullahi said with effect from July 1, the new e-Yellow Card would be the only valid documented proof of vaccination against yellow fever.

Explaining the importance of the yellow fever vaccine for which the Yellow Card is documented, the Permanent Secretary said 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 travelers to affected (endemic) countries were at risk of exposure to infection by the yellow fever virus; hence the mandatory vaccination against the disease.

Hence, he disclosed that according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation, all international travellers, nine months of age and above visiting Nigeria must be vaccinated against yellow fever, adding that additional measures have been adopted at points of entry for the prevention and control of yellow fever, part of which is the mandatory requirement of evidence of vaccination against the disease on arrival in Nigeria.

He added that some countries also require evidence of vaccination against yellow fever as a condition for entry, stressing that from July 1, travelers arriving Nigeria without proof of yellow fever vaccination would be vaccinated at points of entry and issued the card, after payment of the charge.

The permanent secretary 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.” he said