Dr. Bakri bin Matouq Assas, President of Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), launched a vaccination campaign on against seasonal flu for the year 1439 AH, in the presence of Dr. Yasser Hasan Ba-Hakim, head of the Medical Center, and Mr. Hasan Maghrabi, field vaccination campaign coordinator at the Health Affairs, at the university headquarters in Al-Abidiyyah.

Dr. Yasser said that the vaccination campaign against seasonal flu comes within the permanent cooperation between the University Medical Center and the Health Affairs Directorate in Makkah; referring that this campaign targets vaccinating all the university students and affiliates throughout the period from 25/1 to 12/3/1439 AH. He mentioned that the seasonal flu vaccination is taken annually, and its effect lasts for one year. Because the flu-caused viruses’ types change and develop, the vaccine effect varies from one year to another; taking into account that some types do not take vaccine, such as those who were vaccinated during the first campaign prior to the Hajj season in 1438 AH, and those who are allergic to eggs, and flue in a previous time, besides the under 6 months children.

Dr. Ba-Hakim elaborated that the campaign will be conducted by field health teams in certain and mobile locations at the university to ensure vaccinating the target groups of male and female students and affiliates, in addition to providing vaccination at the university’s Medical Center during the official working hours, as well as the initial health centers to vaccinate all the target group  of Mecca people; pointing out that the university’s Medical Center plays a positive role in  the preventive aspects through providing the best awareness and educational messages to all the university students in particular and the society in general by running campaigns and events to enhance the health awareness on common diseases.

Dr. Ba-Hakim expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to HE UQU President, Bakri bin Matouq Assas for his great support and attention to the University Medical Center. He also thanked Dr. Yasser Shoushou, UQU Vice-President, for his constant follow-up to the activities and events of the Medical Center that promoted the therapeutic and preventive health services’ quality provided by the center to all the students and affiliates that deserve receiving treatment at the university’s Medical Center.

In his turn, HE UQU President underscored the necessity of participating in events and activities on awareness that could educate and enlighten the university community; praising the role is played by the university’s Medical Center so that it could reflect the quality of the provided medical services to the affiliates.