bill of health (B/H)

Definition

Certificate issued by the health and sanitation authorities of an airport or seaport (suspected of infected with one or more contagious diseases) to the captain of a visiting vessel (aircraft or ship). A 'clean B/H' (also called free pratique) certifies that (1) no contagious disease was known to exist at the air/sea port when the certificate was issued, (2) the vessel is free from all such diseases and, thus (3) safe for carrying people and/or edible cargo. Free pratique exempts the vessel from being quarantined on arrival at its destination or stopovers en route.