Air Suvidha 2.0 Introduced To Screen Travellers Amid Ebola Surveillance Efforts

India has launched AIR SUVIDHA 2.0, a fully digital and contactless health declaration platform for international travellers, as part of efforts to strengthen disease surveillance amid concerns over the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa. The upgraded system has been introduced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in collaboration with Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and is designed to enhance public health monitoring at airports while ensuring a seamless arrival process for passengers.

The launch follows the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of the Ebola/Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005. Health authorities have identified the outbreak as Bundibugyo virus disease, a form of Ebola virus disease that can cause severe illness and trigger outbreaks in affected regions. Countries neighbouring the DRC and Uganda, including South Sudan, have also been classified as high-risk areas for potential transmission.

Officials said AIR SUVIDHA 2.0 has been developed in coordination with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The platform requires international passengers arriving in India from affected regions to complete a mandatory online Health Self-Declaration before immigration clearance. The declaration captures key information, including a traveller’s 21-day travel history, exposure history, and any symptoms associated with Ebola infection. Authorities have advised passengers to submit the form up to 24 hours before arrival, preferably during web check-in, to facilitate faster processing at airports.

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Once the declaration is completed, travellers are required to carry a downloaded copy of the Self Declaration Form and present it at the International Travel Health Desk or Immigration Counter upon arrival. Officials said the digital system eliminates the need for physical paperwork, reducing contact points and enabling authorities to conduct health screening more efficiently. The move is expected to improve both passenger convenience and the effectiveness of airport-based disease surveillance measures.

A major feature of AIR SUVIDHA 2.0 is its real-time data-sharing capability, which allows passenger information to be instantly transmitted to multiple government agencies. These include Airport Health Officers (AHO), the Bureau of Immigration, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), and State Surveillance Officers. By integrating data across agencies, authorities can quickly identify travellers who may require additional screening, monitoring, testing, or medical intervention, thereby strengthening the country's preparedness against imported infectious diseases.

Public health experts have consistently highlighted the importance of early detection and monitoring of international travellers in preventing the cross-border spread of infectious diseases. With global travel enabling diseases to move rapidly across countries and continents, digital surveillance systems have become a critical component of modern public health infrastructure. Officials said AIR SUVIDHA 2.0 will enhance India's ability to respond swiftly to emerging health threats while maintaining efficient passenger movement through airports, reinforcing the country's readiness to tackle potential outbreaks and safeguard public health.

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