Government has expressed concern following reports that have emerged of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) foreign delegates who were delayed entry into Zambia by South African authorities for not having certificate of yellow fever vaccination.
Minister of Health, Joseph Kasonde, explained that a bilateral meeting was held on May 21, 2013 during the World Health Organization (WHO) general assembly in Geneva between the Ministry of Health, South Africa and the Ministry of Health, Zambia where South Africa indicated and stated that transit passengers en-route to and from Zambia would not be required to produce certification of yellow fever vaccination.
“I am very concerned about stories that are emerging from visitors in Livingstone who have come to attend the UNWTO general assembly. I have been given to understand that some of them, in trying to access our country, were delayed because our South African authorities were in doubt about transit through South Africa without certificate of yellow fever vaccination,” he said.
Dr Kasonde said any inaccurate information concerning the certification of yellow fever vaccination should be avoided so that foreign delegates are furnished with accurate information as agreed during the bilateral meeting in Geneva.
He stressed that there are many visitors coming from all over the world visiting Zambia and as such they should not be fed with inaccurate information concerning the certification of yellow fever.
“Anything at this stage which is not accurate must be strongly avoided because we are dealing with visitors coming from different countries and we do not want to feed them inaccurate information.
“The correct information is that we had discussions with the minister of health of South Africa in May this year in Geneva at the WHO where South Africa’s Health Minister indicated that there will be no need for transit passengers (less than 24hours) enroute to and from Zambia to provide certification of yellow fever vaccination,” revealed Dr Kasonde.
Dr Kasonde further disclosed that during the general assembly in Geneva it was made know that the yellow fever booster injection is no longer necessary.
“It was noted that yellow fever vaccination has now been proved to confer lifetime immunity and the booster injection currently given after 10 years is no longer necessary.” He said.
The Minister assured the visiting delegates to feel secure, adding that what transpired in South Africa, where some foreign visitors in transit to Zambia were delayed, will not reoccur.
The health minister has since described the incident as unfortunate and hoped that no foreign visitors will further be inconvenienced
ZANIS
Shouldn’t this matter have been addressed with the South Africans as part of the preparations for the meeting?
I am deeply concerned with issues of inconviniencingour cherished UNWTO delegates.
You hav been insulting the south Africans at will. They are just getting at you slowly.
SAaans should just grow up and stop acting as if we owe them anything, after all they are nothing without those heartless Boers!
I live in SA and visit Zambia from time to time. I find people at the airport in SA to be more friendly than in Zambia. In Zambia when they notice the permanent residence stamp in your passport, the first thing they will ask, “what did you bring for us?” It is even worse if you drive from South Africa to Zambia. To the immigration officers, police, customs officers any GP registered car is an ATM. You will be subjected to all sorts of questions but deep down what they want is a bribe. No mum Zambian officials are worse than South African officials. The only place with worse airport officials than Zambia is Congo.
The organisers should have just informed the delegates to get the vaccine in their countries before leaving. You still don’t know how those RSA chaps behave at their airport and borders? They would rather have the conference in their country anyway. Anything to make the conference in Zim/Zambia flop is music to their ears. The officials should have been a step ahead of the RSAs and given comprehensive info to anyone intending to connect through RSA. Instead of crying afterwards.
Sometimes being in high offices where one does not experience what an ordinary traveller experiences detaches our leaders from realities. Try transiting through RSA to and from Zambia for less than two hours and without leaving the airport, the immigration officer asks you for the Yellow Fever certificate without which you are as good as missing the flight. So what discussions were these in Geneva that have yielded no change in RSA. Wajimona is absolutely right!
cindy,i dont know which south africa you went to. Because if it was the one on the map, the RSA, you would have noticed that people are friendly and mind their own business. Much unlike most Zambians like you who will name call umuntu uikalile without even knowing them just to get noticed. Shame on you and your likes. Grow up muletumfwisha insoni. Address issues dont personalise!
More disappointments from Zed side is yet to emerge. PF is good at talking with no action. Now south africa has shown you that Zambia is really backward and not them. So don’t bite the finger that feeds you.
Sa want to show foreigners that it is difficult to get to zambia thus possibly painting a bad picture to possible tourists to zambia. Too bad for us and worrying indeed.