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UAE finalises H1N1 plan for Haj pilgrims

The UAE health ministry has finalised a comprehensive plan for pilgrims to deal with emergencies that may occur during Haj due to H1N1.

Vaccination against the virus, which is a key component of the health plan for pilgrims, is also expected to begin this week at designated primary healthcare centres across the country.

Today, the UAE Health Minister Dr Hanif Hassan — besides several other high ranking officials — is scheduled to launch the mass vaccination campaign in the country by agreeing to be the first person to be inoculated.

The ministry has already started administering the annual flu and meningitis vaccine free of cost to pilgrims as part of its standard preventive measures required for the pilgrimage.

However, the health plan for Haj has been finalised with the help of the UAE official Haj Mission that is accompanying the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, as well as the Haj operators.

Dr Mahmoud Fikri, executive 
director for Health Policies said all the required procedures were in place. The UAE Haj Mission has 
already finalised a building in 
Saudi Arabia equipped with 40 beds and a number of camps near the ission’s headquarters in Saudi Arabia to isolate suspected cases of H1N1.

“We have also fixed four buses to transfer infected cases to and from the holy sites,” he added.

A stockpile of antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, required medical supplies and devices have also been readied for the mission and the clinics of Haj operators.

The ministry has also accredited the licensing of doctors and nurses accompanying the Haj operators.

“The ministry has prepared 10,000 bags with essential health equipment that the pilgrims may require during their journey,” said Dr Fikri who is also head of the Technical Committee to Combat H1N1.

The bags have been prepared in coordination with Sharjah Charity Society and include items such as masks, hand sanitisers, tissue paper, painkillers and a guide book on Haj rituals.

Saudi Arabia started its vaccination campaign this weekend and said that only two cases of H1N1 had been reported among the half a million pilgrims who had already arrived in the country.

This year, the UAE has discouraged children, pregnant women and the elderly from taking part in the annual pilgrimage since they belong to the high risk category.