COVID-19: Passengers to pay $150 for test on arrival at KIA

All travelers who intend to come to Ghana after the opening of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) are to pay $150 or equivalent of GHS 865 for covid-19 instant test.

The test, according to government will last for about 30 minutes and therefore passengers will receive the results before they will be allowed to enter the country.

The directive comes after the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced the opening of the KIA during his 16th update.

“Fellow Ghanaians, I am glad to announce that Kotoka International Airport will reopen and resume operations from Tuesday, 1st September 2020. This decision has been communicated to international airlines across the world,” the President said.

He explained that,”It has been well-established that the very first cases of COVID-19 in Ghana were imported into our shores. We are determined to make sure this scenario does not recur. The commitment to ensuring that the gradual easing of restrictions, including the reopening of our airports, does not lead to the importation or resurgence of the virus into our country, is firmly in place. That is why the following measures have been taken and duly communicated to airlines wishing to resume flights to Ghana.”

He directed that any passenger arriving in Ghana must be in possession of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from an accredited laboratory in the country of origin.

President Akufo-Addo said the test should have been done not more than seventy-two (72) hours before the scheduled departure from the country of origin.

He added that all airlines have been instructed to ensure compliance with this directive for all passengers wishing to travel to Ghana, and those airlines who fail in this regard will be duly sanctioned;

disembarking passengers must do so wearing face masks;

Upon disembarking from the aeroplane, each passenger will undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test at the airport terminal, at a fee to be borne by the passenger. The test result will be available within thirty (30) minutes;

children under the age of five (5) will not be required to undergo testing at the airport

passengers, who test positive for COVID-19, will be handled by the health authorities for further clinical assessment and management;

passengers, who test negative, can, thereupon, enter Ghana to go about their lawful activities, and will be advised to continue to observe COVID-19 safety precautions during their stay in Ghana.

Meanwhile, briefing the media in Accra on Monday, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye said the amount was reasonable, explaining that government wanted to make sure that the cost of test will not put any burden of the passengers.

He noted that the amount was also reasonable as compared to other countries also charging passengers for the test.

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori

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