Ministry spokesman Dr. Khalid Al-Mirghalani said the program, which is being carried out by the ministry in coordination with the ministries of education and higher education, will cover all schools and universities in the Kingdom.
Last week, Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah and Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah launched a campaign throughout the Kingdom to raise awareness among parents, teachers and students of the importance of vaccinating against the diseases.
Al-Mirghalani said from Sunday Health Ministry employees would visit the schools to immunize the students targeted for the campaign.
The vaccines will be given to those aged nine months to 24 years. The campaign will be for five weeks.
The vaccine will be given in two phases, with the second phase beginning on Dec. 3.
Students from government, private and community schools at primary, middle and secondary levels will be covered under this program.
The spokesman said babies below nine months do not need the vaccine as they derive immunity against measles from birth.
Children who have high fever could postpone their vaccination to a later date while those who suffer from immune deficiency diseases such as HIV or congenital diseases and who are allergic to vaccines should avoid this vaccination.
The ministry will also run a helpline (800 24 94 444) to assist people who want to know more about the program.
“Health officials will be too ready to help such callers who are interested in knowing more about this program,” Al-Mirghalani said. He also pointed out that this is the first time the ministry is using social networking tools Facebook and Twitter to promote the awareness campaign throughout Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom was declared free of polio by the World Health Organization because of its successful campaign against the disease. According to statements from the ministry, incidence of measles, rubella and mumps were minimal in the Kingdom, with only 300 cases reported annually. “This can be fully eradicated with an organized campaign against the diseases,” a ministry statement said, adding that there is no harm in repeating the vaccine if a person had taken it earlier.
Measles is an acute viral contagious disease accompanied by fever, conjunctivitis, cough and red skin ulcers starting on the face and covering all parts of the body from the third to seventh day of infection. Other common complications are middle ear inflammation, pneumonia, broncholaryngitis, diarrhea and encephalitis.
There is no specific antiviral therapy for measles and basic treatment is necessary supportive therapy such as hydration and antipyretics.
Mumps can cause fever, headaches and swelling of the cheeks and jaw. The swelling is caused by an infection of the salivary glands. Mumps can cause meningitis, an infection of the fluid and lining covering the brain and spinal cord.
Rubella is very dangerous to pregnant women. If a woman gets rubella in the early part of a pregnancy, it is very likely that her baby will die or be severely handicapped. The most common handicaps are blindness, deafness, mental illness and heart defects.
According to medical opinion, most children will have no side effects following a MMR vaccination. It can cause a rash or fever in some children five to 12 days after they are administered the injection. This may last for a few days.
Occasionally, a high fever can cause a convulsion. The convulsion comes from the high fever caused by the vaccine rather than the vaccine itself. This does not make the child any more likely to get epilepsy, brain damage or any other nerve-related problems. Convulsions caused by high fever are more likely to occur in children who have had convulsions before or whose parents, brothers or sisters have had convulsions.
