President of Umm Al-Qura University Professor Abdullah Omar BaFail has ordered setting an urgent work plan and apply precautionary and inspection measures to control scabies currently prevailing in a number of schools in Makkah so as to maintain safety of the university male and female students and all its affiliates. 

Meanwhile, Professor BaFail appreciated the support attached by the wise leadership to the educational and academic process in such manner which contributed to providing an attractive environment for science and learning. He also lauded the close follow up of the Minister of Education Dr. Ahmed bin Mohamed Al-Issa to the programs and activities provided by the university.  

He went on to point out that no scabies cases have been registered among the male and female affiliates of the university and he called upon the relevant departments in the university to intensify efforts in providing awareness and educational programs and to ensure all facilities of the university are sterilized to avoid scabies infection and ensure the educational process is running smoothly besides isolating the suspected cases and refer them to the Directorate of Health Affairs to take the appropriate measures.  

The precautionary plan for scabies in the university which will be applied by the Public Health Unit in the University Medical Center comprising of the Public Health Unit, Nursing Services, and other supportive support, includes receiving the available suspected cases through the field medical teams at the female campuses besides the medical clinics in the University Medical Center according to the mechanism adopted in reporting the infectious diseases by filling the instant reporting form and sending it via the fax to the Health Affairs Directorate in Makkah to complete procedures of handling the infected case and the individuals in close contact with it, who are the most vulnerable to infection.   

The precautionary plan carried out by the field medical team also includes conducting inspection visits to all university facilities, examining all workers in the field of sanitation to ensure that they are not infected with the diseases, investigating suspected cases -if any-, confirming the suspected cases and registering all their details, providing the relevant deanship  with the reports of the suspected cases to give them sick leaves and help them to take the necessary treatment until their full recovery from illness.  

Additionally, the precautionary plan also includes awareness and educational programs about scabies by making use of the display screens available in the University Medical Center and other university buildings to providing awareness against scabies and provide the Administrative Communication Center with scientific awareness material in this regard to send it to all the male and female affiliates of the university via the email besides raising male and female students awareness about the diseases during the lectures.