The Enugu State Government said it is ready to collaborate with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to prevent and combat the outbreak of infectious diseases. Both parties demonstrated how to effectively discharge their duties during a simulation programme held at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport yesterday.

The simulation involved FAAN workers and other health-related agencies operating at the airport. In a speech during the exercise, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Emmanuel Obi, expressed the readiness of the government to prevent and combat any disease outbreak in the state.

Obi said the simulation was to demonstrate the state’s commitment to enhancing its preparedness for public health emergencies, particularly in highrisk areas, like airports.

According to him, Enugu State stands the risk of infectious diseases’ outbreaks due to the international airport that serves as an entry point for people coming into the South-East for the Yuletide celebrations.

“As a result, there is a need to sensitise airport workers to step up to their responsibilities and ensure that every passenger coming into the state is well examined to keep the state safe,” he said.

The Regional Airport Manager, South-East Airports, Mr Hillary Umunna, represented by the Head of Operations, FAAN, Mrs Udenze Onyeka, promised that airport workers would continue to work in synergy with the state ministry of health.

This, Umunna said, would prevent an outbreak of infectious diseases, especially now that people were travelling to the region for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The state Epidemiologist, Dr Okechukwu Ogbodo, said during an outbreak stimulation that the exercise was necessary to prepare the minds of airport workers to step up to their responsibilities to ensure no infectious disease penetrated into the state.

While giving them tips on how to carry out their functions, he said that airport workers were in a position to identify suspected cases, keep accurate data in situations of identified cases. He further said that diseases, such as mpox and COVID-19, spread easily and faster, and should be carefully monitored.