FG launches new yellow card

Category: News Published on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 05:00

Following the deportation of over 125 Nige-rians from South Africa a year ago over the possession of fake yellow fever vaccine cards, the federal government yesterday launched new yellow cards which are expected to rep-lace the ones in circulation within six months.

The minister of health, Professor Christian Onyebuchi Chukwu unveiled the new yellow card at a ceremony during the pre 56th National Council on Health (NCH) and launch of the new international certificate of vaccination and prophylaxis (Yellow card).

The health minister explained that the previous decentralisation of production of the yellow card to curb scarcity led to the multiplicity of cards and subsequent abuse of the cards.

He said that the ministry of health would be the sole manufacturer of the cards while the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) would distribute the cards after it has vaccinated the bearer.

He added that the new yellow cards will come with advanced security features. “I believe this will put an end to the issue of fake yellow cards issued from multiplied sources,” he said.

It would be recalled that on March 5, 2012, 125 Nigerians were deported from South Africa over their alleged possession of fake yellow card.