Saudi Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabee'a, who led his country's delegation to the extraordinary meeting of the Ministers of Health of the Mediterranean which started here earlier today, confirmed that the Saudi Ministry of Health has enough quantity of H1N1 - A vaccine to be used for pilgrims coming from inside as well as residents of Makkah and Al-Madinah, sites of Hajj and Umrah. Addressing the meeting, the minister cast light on the efforts being exerted by the Saudi government under the instructions of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to enhance precautionary measures to prevent the spread of swine flu during Islamic gatherings in the sacred places in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dr. Al-Rabee'a also confirmed his ministry's commitment to enforce the recommendations put by an experts workshop recently held in Jeddah, attended by representatives of the WHO and anti-epidemic centers in the U.S. , Australia, China and Europe. He said the protection of worshippers coming to the holy sites in the Kingdom is, by virtue of Saudi law, the responsibility of the Saudi government, lauding the instructions of the Saudi leadership in this concern which resulted in forging one of the first national plans to combat the epidemic. He said the Kingdom is currently enforcing a package of preventive measures at its land, sea and air inlets according to its own accumulating experience and WHO policies, citing the use of advanced devices to detect virus contractors at the moment they enter the border.
