JEDDAH — Leading Saudi experts came together to raise awareness on the precautionary measures that should be undertaken by Umrah travelers with regard to infectious diseases, most notably vaccinations. Umrah, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, will bring together a huge number of pilgrims from different countries who can pose a major health concern. Mass gatherings have long been associated with the spread of infectious diseases. A meningococcal disease outbreak occurred during the 1992 Umrah season and mass vaccinations helped in controlling the situation. The incidence rate of pneumococcal diseases in Saudi Arabia is estimated to be 17.4 per 100,000 of the population, with a fatality ratio of 12.2 percent. Dr. Abdulhakeem Okab Ahmed Al-Thaqafi, director of infection control for the National Guard Health Affairs in Jeddah, said: “Awareness on the diseases, preventive measures like vaccinations and maintenance of hygiene is the key to preventing outbreak of serious diseases during mass gatherings like Umrah or Haj. “We strongly recommend travelers to undertake these as the means of avoiding the social and economic burden associated with these diseases.” He suggested there should be efforts to ensure that antibiotics are not dispensed without prescriptions and to increase awareness about the importance of vaccines among healthcare workers and patients. “Even people working in the health sector are not aware of this vaccine. In the next few years we need to work harder with authorities and societies to increase awareness about vaccine benefits and effectiveness," he said. Dr. Mohammed Al-Ghobain, pulmonology consultant at King Abdulaziz Medical City, said there are many organizations such as the Saudi Thorax Society and Infectious Disease Society working on raising awareness of obtaining vaccinations against infectious diseases. He said: “An Increased level of precaution is required for risk groups, especially elderly adults over the age of 65 and those with comorbidities like type 2 diabetes mellitus, hematological malignancy, organ and bone marrow transplantation or chronic kidney or lung diseases. “Aging is a widely recognized risk factor in pneumococcal disease due to a natural weakening of the immune system and susceptibility to infection.” Pneumonia is the most common cause of hospital admissions during Haj because it easily spreads from person to person in a mass gathering. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adult vaccinations to help prevent pneumococcal disease, among other infectious diseases. According to the World Health Organization's facts on immunization, vaccinations are one of the most successful and cost-effective of public health interventions, preventing between 2 million and 3 million deaths every year.
