A doctor wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) standing near an ambulance at the Ebola Virus Disease Treatment Center inside a hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 15.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on Thursday (June 25, 2026) launched Air Suvidha 2.0, an upgraded contactless passenger health self-declaration portal, to strengthen public health surveillance at points of entry in response to the ongoing Ebola disease outbreak.
The launch follows the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the Ebola/Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17 under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.
High-risk countries
The current outbreak has been confirmed as Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), and countries bordering DRC and Uganda, including South Sudan, have been assessed as high-risk for transmission (as updated by WHO), according to a release issued by the Union government.
Developed in collaboration with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the portal enables international arriving passengers to submit a mandatory online health self-declaration — covering 21-day travel history, exposure history and related symptoms, if any — prior to immigration clearance.
The portal enables real-time data sharing with the airport health officer, Bureau of Immigration, and State Surveillance Officers, etc., enabling swift identification and referral of at-risk travellers while keeping the arrival experience seamless and contactless, with no physical forms to fill on landing.
Filling 24 hours early
Air Suvidha Self Declaration Form (SDF) can be completed 24 hours in advance before arrival to India. Passengers are requested to fill the forms before boarding of the flight, during web check-in for swift clearance on arrival and only required to show the downloaded SDF at the International Travel Health Desk or immigration counter.
“All international travellers are requested to complete their self-declaration accurately and in advance, in the interest of passenger safety and public health,” noted the release.
Published – June 25, 2026 04:43 pm IST
