DEAR NPHIL,
Please accept my compliment and best wishes. I write to enquire about the status of my COVID-19 result, of which my sample was taken on 10th May 2021 upon arrival at the Roberts International Airport. I had asked how I could access my result and health authorities at RIA told me that I will access the result online after 72 hours using this ID Number: 179296. I have been trying since, but the system requires two numbers; certificate ID and Case ID and only the above ID number I received written on a piece of paper like other passengers.
Am really concerned about this, because this is my second time doing Covid-19 test upon arrival without result, since the introduction of the on arrival testing. Secondly, why is it that departure test result release is so effective and efficient, not like on arrival?
Am kindly requesting to receive my result as it’s very important for myself and health authorities as well. Imagine there were some people from South Africa and another places with the new covid 19 variant, which should be of public health concern for all of us. Furthermore, several of my friends and relatives have also complained that results are not released or available for samples taken upon arrival, which is not good for our country if that is the case and this is my second experience too.
This is a passionate appeal to our health authorities to take concrete measures to close any seepage with effective release of the on arrival results. It is evident that mostly travellers are the ones who transport the Virus in country, so if we just focus on releasing results for departing passengers and only collect $75 from each arriving passenger without results, then we are threading on a very dangerous path and could cost our country a serious public health emergency.
I am available to provide additional information upon request and hoping to receive a timely response to my request. For your kind information, I had also informed health authorities at the RIA that should my result not made available at this time and going forward, I will consider myself as an exempt passenger for Covid-19 testing, especially upon arrival to the country and I will not pay the $75 fee, unless RDT result is available at RIA.
It is not just about collecting money from arriving passengers to the country, but our health authorities should also know their covid status and the passengers themselves too. This can only be established when the collected samples are tested and the results are published for passengers to also access, especially when travelling from another country and will have to interact with families, friends and love ones.
Thanks in advance for your cooperation and responding to my email.
Regards,
Sampson VK Dolo