Nigerian port health officials wait to screen passengers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria in August.
Rwanda’s minister of health is reversing a decision she made to require visitors who had been in the U.S. or Spain during the previous 22 days to report their medical condition to Rwandan authorities daily in case they showed Ebola symptoms.
Dr. Agnes Binagwaho said on Twitter late Wednesday that the decision to screen travelers from the U.S. and Spain was solely her decision and not the government’s. She apologized for any inconvenience.
The MOH #Rwanda is removing special screening of travelers from US &Spain. apologies for any inconveniences caused by my decision…
— Agnes Binagwaho (@agnesbinagwaho) October 22, 2014
…as Minister of Health, which was solely mine and not endorsed by the Government of #Rwanda
— Agnes Binagwaho (@agnesbinagwaho) October 22, 2014
A posting on President Paul Kagame’s Twitter account said the measures instituted by Binagwaho weren’t necessary and that his health minister sometimes acts first and thinks later.
….She has sometimes acted first n thought later…it should be the other way round! 🙂
— Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) October 22, 2014
No Ebola cases have been reported in Rwanda. The U.S. Embassy says that Rwanda is not allowing visitors who have recently traveled to Guinea, Liberia, Senegal or Sierra Leone.