Hyderabad, NFAPost: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreck havoc, several methods have been adopted by airports, the first screening point of international passengers, to prevent the spread of the deadly virus in the country.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad has installed a state-of-the-art Thermal Scanner to screen all passengers arriving from various countries in relief flights under the Government of India’s largest offshore evacuation programme, Vande Bharat Mission.
All international arrival passengers and airline crew undergo mandatory health screening by the Airport Health Officers to identify symptomatic passengers to safeguard the spread of COVID-19 and provide necessary medical assistance to such passengers.
With an objective of enhancing the efficacy of the screening process, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, in coordination with Asian Development Bank, has provided Hyderabad International Airport with a state-of-the-art Thermal Scanner – a Mass Fever Screening System, funded by UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund).
The new thermal scanner will be used by the Airport Health officials of MoH&FW (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare).
How scanner works
The new thermal scanner at Hyderabad International Airport is a ceiling mounted Mass Fever Screening System. This system is capable of scanning, detecting and tracking febrile persons with elevated skin temperature. The system automatically adjusts and adapts to the surrounding ambient temperature without any human intervention.
With its Intuitive User Interface and Dual-Displays (Day Camera + Infra-Red) it provides easy identification of passengers with elevated temperature, while simplifying operations and minimizing handling.
The new thermal scanner imparts more control to the Hyderabad Airport Health Organisation, along with the existing thermal scanners at the International Arrivals.
GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) CEO Pradeep Panicker said the airport is thankful to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in having this modern equipment installed at the Hyderabad International Airport.
“We are grateful to the sponsors ADB and UNICEF for this humane gesture. With this facility, it makes the task of the health officials who serve at the airport round the clock, a little easier,” said GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) CEO Pradeep Panicker.
Dr. Anuradha Medoju, Sr. Regional Director, AP & Telangana, Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, said the new top-end mass fever scanner at Hyderabad International Airport enhances our efficiency multi-fold.
“With the help of the intuitive technology we are able to screen passengers effectively. The system alerts us if any passenger is found with high temperature, without disturbing passenger movement and throughput. We are thankful to all the stakeholders for this gesture for assisting us in the system supply, installation and integration,” said Dr. Anuradha Medoju, Sr. Regional Director, AP & Telangana, Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India.
Enforces norms to prevent spread
Hyderabad International Airport has handled close to 40,000 international arrivals passengers during the Covid-19 pandemic from May 2020 till date.
To facilitate the arriving international passengers, the Airport has kept the international arrivals and the entire stretch right from the aerobridge to the arrivals ramp fully sanitized and fumigated, this includes – sanitization of every nook & corner of building and public areas including aerobridges, washrooms, chairs, counters, trolleys, railings, doors, lifts, escalators, baggage belts etc. The airport also enforced the social distancing among passengers right from the aerobridge to across the terminal.
After the health screening of passengers, the passengers proceed for immigration clearance. Glass shields are provided at the immigration counters to avoid any personal contact between the passengers and Immigration officers.
Each counter has specified social distancing norms in place. All arriving check in baggage is sanitized through the disinfection tunnel integrated to the baggage belt as arranged by the airport.
The baggage trolleys available in the baggage hall are kept fully sanitized for passengers’ use as the airport strives to leave no stone unturned to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
