RIYADH: Pilgrims traveling for Umrah in the Kingdom are advised to have an early vaccination against infectious diseases, according to a Riyadh-based pulmonary medicine expert.
“Mass gatherings like Umrah and Haj bring together a huge number of pilgrims from different countries,” said Dr. Mohammed Zeitouni, consultant at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. He said that vaccinations are a precautionary measure against pneumonia, meningitis, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, viral infections, community-acquired pneumonia, the polio virus, blood-borne diseases and zoonotic diseases.
He said outbreaks of meningococcal diseases in Makkah and Jeddah in 1992 and 1997 were associated with Umrah and Ramadan seasons.
According to him, pneumonia can also be a serious threat. “A retrospective analysis in the Kingdom on community-acquired pneumonia revealed that the mean age of the patients was 43 years. The clinical histories indicated that 25 percent had type 2 diabetes,” he said.
He added that the epidemiology of meningococcal diseases in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is affected by the proximity of the region to the African meningitis belt:
Dr. Adel Al-Othman, head of the infectious diseases division at the King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, said: “The preventive potential of adult vaccination in the Kingdom is under-recognized. Being knowledgeable about the benefits of immunization, and about the overall increase on the burden of meningococcal disease, is essential.”
Meanwhile, a total of 1,330 volunteers have offered to serve fellow pilgrims at the Grand Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan, according to Volunteerism Director General, Majid Al-Malki.
Al-Malki said the volunteers come from different regions of the Kingdom and will help other pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in whatever way they can in the spirit of Islam.
The volunteers come from Riyadh, Jazan, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, Jeddah and Makkah. A number of consulting physicians, including Dr. Ahmed Hamk and Dr. Mohammed Kahir, will also oversee the volunteer teams under the umbrella of the Red Crescent Society.
“Their interest in volunteer work encourages us to work hard for the pilgrims so that they can fulfill their Islamic obligations successfully,” Al-Malki said.
He added that it also strengthens the bond of faith among Muslims who are participating in this year’s pilgrimage, especially those who are beneficiaries of their services.
He added that he was looking forward to a meaningful and successful completion of this year’s pilgrimage to ensure that the foreign pilgrims could leave for home safely and successfully.
He said the volunteers have been instructed to go about their work in the best way possible, and to ensure that men and women do not mix.
Dr. Khalid bin Salim Al-Habashi, Red Crescent Authority Director General, said that all of the obstacles faced by volunteer workers in the region have now been removed upon the instructions of Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who is the Saudi Red Crescent Society head.
“We thank the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Prince Faisal bin Abdullah for their support so that we can discharge our responsibilities successfully,” Al-Malki said.
“Mass gatherings like Umrah and Haj bring together a huge number of pilgrims from different countries,” said Dr. Mohammed Zeitouni, consultant at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. He said that vaccinations are a precautionary measure against pneumonia, meningitis, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, viral infections, community-acquired pneumonia, the polio virus, blood-borne diseases and zoonotic diseases.
He said outbreaks of meningococcal diseases in Makkah and Jeddah in 1992 and 1997 were associated with Umrah and Ramadan seasons.
According to him, pneumonia can also be a serious threat. “A retrospective analysis in the Kingdom on community-acquired pneumonia revealed that the mean age of the patients was 43 years. The clinical histories indicated that 25 percent had type 2 diabetes,” he said.
He added that the epidemiology of meningococcal diseases in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is affected by the proximity of the region to the African meningitis belt:
Dr. Adel Al-Othman, head of the infectious diseases division at the King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, said: “The preventive potential of adult vaccination in the Kingdom is under-recognized. Being knowledgeable about the benefits of immunization, and about the overall increase on the burden of meningococcal disease, is essential.”
Meanwhile, a total of 1,330 volunteers have offered to serve fellow pilgrims at the Grand Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan, according to Volunteerism Director General, Majid Al-Malki.
Al-Malki said the volunteers come from different regions of the Kingdom and will help other pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in whatever way they can in the spirit of Islam.
The volunteers come from Riyadh, Jazan, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, Jeddah and Makkah. A number of consulting physicians, including Dr. Ahmed Hamk and Dr. Mohammed Kahir, will also oversee the volunteer teams under the umbrella of the Red Crescent Society.
“Their interest in volunteer work encourages us to work hard for the pilgrims so that they can fulfill their Islamic obligations successfully,” Al-Malki said.
He added that it also strengthens the bond of faith among Muslims who are participating in this year’s pilgrimage, especially those who are beneficiaries of their services.
He added that he was looking forward to a meaningful and successful completion of this year’s pilgrimage to ensure that the foreign pilgrims could leave for home safely and successfully.
He said the volunteers have been instructed to go about their work in the best way possible, and to ensure that men and women do not mix.
Dr. Khalid bin Salim Al-Habashi, Red Crescent Authority Director General, said that all of the obstacles faced by volunteer workers in the region have now been removed upon the instructions of Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who is the Saudi Red Crescent Society head.
“We thank the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Prince Faisal bin Abdullah for their support so that we can discharge our responsibilities successfully,” Al-Malki said.
