SAUDI GOVT WON'T BAR ANYONE FROM PERFORMING THE HAJ

By AHMAD KAMIL TAHIR

MECCA, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- The Saudi Arabian government Sunday assured that
it will not bar anyone considered a high risk swine flu individual from
performing the Haj this year, English daily The Arab News reported, quoting
Minister of Health Abdullah Al-Rabeeah.

Al-Rabeeah was quoted as saying that it was the responsibility of individual
countries to enforce recommendations that children, the elderly and pregnant
women forgo this year's pilgrimage.

"Saudi Arabia does not prevent anyone because the Haj is a religious event,"
Al-Rabeeah said.

He added that a million doses of vaccine was prepared to cover the first
stage of the campaign for pilgrims residing in Saudi Arabia, health workers and
other officials involved in the Haj, especially in the holy cities of Makkah and
Madinah, which top the vaccination priority list.

The vaccination has been approved by the Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA),
the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Evaluation
Agency (EMEA).

Al-Rabeeah said the Ministry of Health had tested the vaccination and
that people are only being vaccinated following the recommendations of the SFDA
and other recognised global organisations.

"People need not have any qualms about the effects of the vaccination. It
does not have any serious side effects on adults and children," he said, adding
that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah, was keen on providing the
best health care to people in the Kingdom.

Al-Rabeeah added that only two cases of swine flu have been reported so far
among the half a million pilgrims who have already arrived in the Kingdom to
perform the Haj.

So far, over 7,000 cases of swine flu have been reported in the Kingdom with
62 deaths while the Ministry of Health said over 95 percent of flu victims had
fully recovered, the newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, the newspaper also reported on a media campaign launched by the
government that urge pilgrims to be responsible during the Haj and perform their
rites properly.

"This year's media campaign is a translation of the development plan for the
Makkah region under the motto: 'Development of Man and Place'," Chairman of the
Central Haj Committee, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal was quoted as saying when
launching the campaign.

He reiterated that the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King
Abdullah, considers serving pilgrims a cherished honour.

"Therefore we are not surprised to see the government implement giant
projects throughout the year in the Holy Sites, Mecca and Medina worth
billions," Prince Khaled said.

He said the campaign was aimed at realising two main objectives -
encouraging civilized and responsible conduct and enlightening pilgrims about
the correct methods of performing the Haj.
-- BERNAMA