The Makkah Route initiative aims to provide top-quality service and ease the Hajj journey of pilgrims. Among the services provided is guaranteeing compliance with health regulations.
The Ministry of Health's Communication, Relations and Health Awareness General Department is carrying out the initiative in two different ways.
Targeted countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Tunisia) must follow the health requirements for Hajj and Umrah before entry visas to the Kingdom are issued.
Secondly, it's important to ensure that preventative measures are implemented based on the global epidemiological situation, such as in Pakistan.
Providing polio vaccines to pilgrims is an example of what "preventive measures" means. Pakistani health authorities provide the World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine at the airport's departure area.
A team of five qualified individuals will be dispatched by the ministry to supervise the enforcement of health protocols and evaluate the vaccination process and the implementation of preventive measures, the department added.
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HIGHLIGHTS
- The Makkah Route initiative targets to ensure that the health requirements for Hajj and Umrah are met in specific countries before granting entry visas to the Kingdom.
- In Pakistan, the initiative makes sure that the global epidemiological situation takes preventive measures.
- Over 1,700 people are employed at the different entry and exit points by land, air, and sea during this year's Hajj season.
- The team, consisting of 131 experienced doctors, general health specialists, epidemiological monitors, and other staff, provides necessary treatment and preventive services to pilgrims.
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As part of the procedures in the departure hall, emergency clinics are established at the points where Makkah Route pilgrims are received by the ministry.
The clinics handle urgent cases, create awareness materials for pilgrims, and work with the General Authority of Civil Aviation to distribute them on specific airlines.
The Health Ministry has reported that no pilgrims have been diagnosed with an epidemic disease or been quarantined so far, and the overall health situation is reassuring.
From the beginning of Dul Qaada, 257,981 pilgrims have received preventive services through access points, with a vaccination commitment rate of 87.4% for meningitis, 67.3% for yellow fever, and 95.3% for polio.