RIYADH: Swine flu has taken center stage in this year’s Ministry of Health’s Haj campaign to educate pilgrims on preventative measures to be taken during their stay.

“As part of the program, the ministry will distribute 2.5 million pamphlets in 13 languages to carry its health message among pilgrims during this season,” Ministry of Health spokesman Dr. Khaled Al-Mirghalani told Arab News on Monday. The pamphlets are available in English, Arabic, French, Urdu, Bahasa, Farsi, Russian, Turkish, Chinese, Tagalog, Swahili, Tamil and Bengali.

The ministry has dispatched around 15 teams to the holy cities to look after the health condition of the pilgrims. These teams will move with the pilgrims as they go to Mina and Arafat during the pilgrimage, he said, adding that they would visit hotels, camps and foreign medical clinics to interact with the pilgrims.

Al-Mirghalani said the ministry has also put up 10,000 informative posters at public places within the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and at the Haj Terminal at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport to pass on the health message to the pilgrims. The Haj Terminal will also be broadcasting the message over intercoms in various languages. Besides the preventive measures against swine flu, the pamphlets also include general information about hygiene and proper conduct in crowded conditions.

According to the official, there are 24 government hospitals and 138 medical clinics in Makkah; there are eight hospitals and 74 clinics in Madinah. In Arafat and Mina, there are seven hospitals and some 70 clinics.

Meanwhile, Sami Badawood, director of Health Affairs in Jeddah, denied on Monday reports the Ministry of Health banned the treatment of swine flu patients in private hospitals and the result has led to crowding in government hospitals.

“The ministry has not banned private hospitals treating swine flu cases,” said Badawood.

“The hospitals run by the ministry are offering free medications, treatment and the accessories required for laboratories for flu patients. The report was published in the media in order to avoid crowding in hospitals.

The hospitals and laboratories are also prepared to treat cases of H1N1 virus around the clock so that patients should not have to face crowding.”

— With input from Muhammad Humaidan