RIYADH: Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah will inaugurate a four day-workshop on swine flu at the Jeddah Hilton today.
Health Ministry spokesman Khalid Al-Mirghalani told Arab News that the meeting is being organized by the ministry on a directive from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
He indicated that 20 foreign experts from the US Centers for Diseases Control, the World Health Organization and local health officials from the 20 health regions in the Kingdom would participate in the meeting.
“They will exchange notes with one another in the current context of the swine flu,” said Al-Mirghalani. “Experts will enlighten participants on the increasing incidence of swine flu cases in the world and its impact on the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, three more swine flu cases were reported yesterday in Riyadh, bringing the tally to 56. The three new cases are: two Filipino nurses, aged 25 and 26, and a 10-year-old Saudi boy.
The official said the participants would focus on the large influx of pilgrims during the Haj and Umrah seasons. They will explore ways and means to formulate a set of preventive measures to combat the disease.
The virus entered the Kingdom via inbound passengers on flights from the United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Bahrain and India. Coming in contact with these travelers exposed others, mainly relatives and Filipino nursing staff.
Al-Mirghalani said that the workshop would also discuss new preventive measures that could be introduced at the country’s entry points, especially airports.
During the workshop, experts will be taken on field trips to the Haj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Muhammed Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah and other places where pilgrims gather.
The official said that the ministry has set a national committee to control the spread of the H1N1 virus in the Kingdom.
“The committee headed by Al-Rabeeah will chalk out comprehensive plan based on recommendations made at the workshop,” he said, adding that there is also a scientific committee headed by Dr. Khalid Al-Zahrani, assistant deputy minister for preventive medicine, to monitor the scientific procedures and policies adopted by the World Health Organization during this current crisis.
