Okay, scrap the word “seamlessly”, like the topic suggests. There is actually nothing seamless about dealing with any of the Government Parastatals anywhere in Nigeria. But, if you follow the guidelines and directions I gave below, it would help you save a bit of your time and money.
Yellow Card is an international certificate of vaccination (ICV). The World Health Organization (WHO) mandates that every traveler must take the yellow fever vaccine. Every country has its stipulated vaccines they require that everyone entering their country should take. Most countries including the very near African countries require that you take the yellow fever vaccine and in some cases the polio vaccine (the polio vaccine is also given at the same time and accounted for on the same yellow card).
• There are different yellow fever vaccination centers in Nigeria, but if you are in Lagos, locate the Ministry of Health, PORT Health office. It is located just before the Airport Toll Gate, the closest building by your left.
• Ensure you make a photocopy of the data page of your International Passport. This shouldn’t cost you more than ten (10) naira. But if you fail to do this before getting to the airport, be ready to pay a hundred (100) naira to get this done.
• The new platform requires that payment should be made via REMITA. It costs two thousand (2000) naira. You can make this payment yourself before coming to the Airport, or risk paying a service charge of five hundred (500) naira. Log on to https://yellowcardnigeria.com/. Click on ‘Register’ and fill in your details. You will be redirected to the Remita platform to make your payment. It is important to note at this stage that a receipt may not be generated immediately for you, so you need to ensure that you copy or take a screenshot of the RRR before you proceed to make your payment (you can use the RRR to search on Remita platform to ensure your payment is confirmed). Now, once payment is successful and receipt is generated, you can either write out your RRR on your photocopied International passport or you make a print out of this too. Note that if you want to make a printout of this at the airport, it will cost you an outrageous amount, five hundred (500) naira.
• When you get to the center, you will be expected to queue for the vaccine. If you want to be done in time, I would suggest you get there early, before 8 AM.
• Once you have taken the yellow fever injection and probably the polio vaccine (this depends on whether the country you are going to requires it), you will be advised to go and sit down and wait to be called for your yellow card. I suggest that you do as advised, because, it would take a while.
• You will be called to take your card once it is ready.
There are a number of side effects of this vaccine; less serious side effects could include low fever, mild headache, general ill feeling, mild rash, muscle pain, joint pain, body aches, tenderness, swelling, or a lump where the shot was given. This may occur within 5 – 10 days. I can’t give any advice or share any experience about the side effects at the moment because I just took mine a few hours ago. But you are advised to visit a Doctor if side effects are severe or if they linger.
PS: I suggest you take water and snack along with you, so you don’t get so hungry while you wait.
The current vaccine given is for a lifetime. So once you get this, you do not need to take another one ever again. You can always go back to them for card replacement if yours gets lost.