Dubai: UAE Haj travellers will not be allowed into Saudi Arabia without the mandatory meningococcal vaccine from a government primary health centre or preventive care centre in any of the emirates. A yellow registration card will be given to the travellers which will have to be produced at the airport or the border.
Providing information on the dangerous infectious diseases of pneumococcal origin that affect the lungs and respiratory tract and meningitis which are usually spread due to dense crowds, Dr Fatima Al Attar, consultant head of international health regulation office in the Ministry of Health, explained: “Every year the World Health Organisation (WHO) issues an advisory on vaccinations for Haj according to regions from where people originate. For UAE Haj travellers, meningococcal vaccine is mandatory. But it is highly recommended that people in high-risk groups such as children, pregnant women, people older than 65 or those suffering from co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity should get themselves vaccinated for influenza. In addition, people should also get immunised against hepatitis A, which is food-borne, and hepatitis B, which is contracted through body fluids, and blood and pneumococcal diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory infections. However, all these are optional.”
Ideally Haj travellers require to get themselves immunised at least four weeks before their date of travel for proper immune cover. However, the government accepts immunisation certificates up to ten days before the expected travel date.
Dr Laila Hussain Al Jasmi, Head, Immunisation Section, Preventive Medicine Department, Health Centres and Clinics Sector, Ministry of Health, said that all the vaccinations are available at the primary health centres and preventive health centres in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and other northern emirates.
“Vaccinations from only government centres are recognised and you cannot get yourself immunised at a private hospital for Haj travel. Those holding a Ministry of Health card get the vaccinations free of charge. But the government has centralised vaccinations in order to have a better control over public health. Those vaccinated are issued a yellow card with relevant entries. The meningococcal vaccine is valid for three years and if someone was immunised last year he need not repeat the vaccine and can show the yellow card for verification,” she said.
People who may have lost or misplaced their card can request a new one which will be issued after checking their registration details and those who arrive at the airport without the yellow card will be vaccinated again for meningitis as this is not harmful, Dr Fatima said.
Dr Laila added that in order to take care of all UAE residents travelling for Haj, the government is making sure that care is taken before, during and after the travel. “We make sure that people do not travel without the requisite mandatory vaccination. Once in Saudi Arabia, if anyone falls sick, the UAE Medical Mission takes care of the individual. If a person returns from Haj and remains sick with respiratory infection, food poisoning, fever, he or she is advised to seek immediate medical assistance.”
The doctors advised travellers to be well informed, educated about infectious diseases, to get themselves vaccinated and to maintain a high level of hygiene, live in authorised accommodation, eat at authorised places, and go to hair salons that are certified in order to eliminate all likely causes of infections.
