Nigeria’s new Yellow Fever card, launched

An updated certificate for yellow fever vaccination goes into effect, weeks before the official end of a controversial version in October. Nigerians travelling abroad will be required to carry the cards to show they have taken vaccination for yellow fever and that their inoculation is still valid.Recipient countries will no longer recognise the old cards […]

An updated certificate for yellow fever vaccination goes into effect, weeks before the official end of a controversial version in October.

Nigerians travelling abroad will be required to carry the cards to show they have taken vaccination for yellow fever and that their inoculation is still valid.
Recipient countries will no longer recognise the old cards from October in attempts to clamp down on fakes.
Health minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, who flagged off official distribution in Abuja, said: “By October, old cards will no longer be valid, and we don’t want Nigerians to get embarrassed when they travel.”

Enhanced security

The security-enhanced yellow fever cards come with at least seven enhanced security features, including special-security ink and stamp.
They became necessary after a row between Nigeria and South Africa last year over the authenticity of yellow cards issued to travellers from Nigeria.

“No two offices have the same code,” said Dr Sani Gwarzo, consultant specialist in charge of port health services.

“As soon as we see a yellow card, we see the code, we know from which office it comes.”
The new cards mark the end of decentralised printing and distribution of yellow fever cards by individual state governments and the private sector, which the National Council on Health permitted years ago in efforts to make the cards easily accessible to travellers.
Chukwu said easy access to the old N500 cards was “part of the confusion” leading to the diplomatic row with South Africa, which deported hundreds of Nigerians at the height of the yellow fever card impasse.
With the decision reversal, yellow fever can only be accessed at its six international airports, nine seaports, 16 land borders, and new port health services offices opening up in all 36 states.

 

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