15 November 2010
RIYADH: Around 560,000 doses of meningitis vaccines have been secured for the local pilgrims and government and private sector workers serving pilgrims this year, according to Ziad Maimish, assistant undersecretary at the Health Ministry for preventive medicine.

This is part of the Kingdom's efforts to reduce the chances of pilgrims acquiring infectious diseases during the pilgrimage that has brought together about 2.5 million people this year.

"All pilgrims -- especially those coming from countries listed by World Health Organization as habitats for yellow fever, polio, and meningitis diseases were subjected to close scrutiny at entry ports."

© Arab News 2010