Acts Online
GT Shield

International Health Regulations Act, 1974 (Act No. 28 of 1974)

International Health Regulations

Part VI : Health Documents

 

Article 83

 

Bills of health, with or without consular visa, or any certificate, however designated, concerning health conditions of a port or an airport, shall not be required from any ship or aircraft.

 

Article 84

 

1) The master of a seagoing vessel making an international voyage, before arrival at its first port of call in a territory, shall ascertain the state of health on board, and, except when a health administration does not require it, he shall, on arrival, complete and deliver to the health authority for that port a Maritime Declaration of Health which shall be countersigned by the ship's surgeon if one is carried.

 

2) The master, and the ship's surgeon if one is carried, shall supply any information required by the health authority as to health conditions on board during the voyage.

 

3) A Maritime Declaration of Health shall conform with the model specified in Appendix 5.

 

4) A health administration may decide:
a) either to dispense with the submission of the Maritime Declaration of Health by all arriving ships; or
b) to require it only if the ship arrives from certain stated areas, or if there is positive information to report.

In either case, the health administration shall inform shipping operators.

 

Article 85

 

1) The pilot in command of an aircraft, on landing at the first airport in a territory, or his authorized agent, shall complete and deliver to the health authority for that airport the Health Part of the Aircraft General Declaration which shall conform with the model specified in Appendix 6, except when a health administration does not require it.

 

2) The pilot in command of an aircraft, or his authorized agent, shall supply any information required by the health authority as to health conditions on board during the voyage.

 

3) A health administration may decide:
a) either to dispense with the submission of the Health Part of the Aircraft General Declaration by all arriving aircraft; or
b) to require it only if the aircraft arrives from certain stated areas, or if there is positive information to report.

In either case, the health administration shall inform aircraft operators.

 

Article 86

 

1) The certificates specified in Appendices 1, 2 and 3 shall be printed in English and in French. An official language of the territory of issue may be added.

 

2) The certificates referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be completed in English or in French. Completion in another language in addition is not excluded.

 

3) International certificates of vaccination must be signed by a medical practitioner in his own hand; his official stamp is not an accepted substitute for the signature.

 

4) International certificates of vaccination are individual certificates and shall in no circumstances be used collectively. Separate certificates shall be issued for children.

 

5) No departure shall be made from the models of the certificates specified in Appendices 2 and 3 and no photograph shall be included.

 

6) A parent or guardian shall sign the international certificate of vaccination when the child is unable to write. The signature of an illiterate shall be indicated in the usual manner by his mark and the indication by another that this is the mark of the person concerned.

 

7) If a vaccinator is of the opinion that vaccination is contra-indicated on medical grounds he shall provide the person with reasons, written in English or French, underlying that opinion, which health authorities should take into account.

 

Article 87

 

A vaccination document issued by the Armed Forces to an active member of those Forces shall be accepted in lieu of an international certificate in the form shown in Appendix 2, 3 or 4 if:

a) it embodies medical information substantially the same as that required by such form; and
b) it contains a statement in English or in French recording the nature and date of the vaccination and to the effect that it is issued in accordance with this Article.

 

Article 88

 

No health document other than those provided for in these Regulations, shall be required in international traffic.