Prof. Abdullah bin Omar Bafeel, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) President, launched the meningitis and seasonal influenza vaccine campaign for the Hajj season 1439 AH, in the presence of Dr. Yasser bin Hassan Ba-Hakim, Director General of the University Medical Center, and Mr. Hasan Maghrabi, supervisor on the field vaccination campaigns in Makkah Health Affairs, at Al-Abediya Campus, on Thursday 28\10\1439 AH.

For his part, Dr. Yasser said that the meningitis and seasonal influenza vaccine campaign comes within the framework of continuous cooperation between the University Medical Center and Makkah General Directorate of Health Affairs. Also, he explained that the campaign this year will start- in Allah’s willing- as of Sunday 2\11\1439 AH and lasts till Thursday 27\11\1439 AH. The campaign includes all the colleges, centers, departments, institutes and headquarters of the university in Makkah. It will be conducted through the visits of the vaccine teams to the sites in coordination with the vaccine campaign supervisors of the males and females departments, in addition to providing vaccines at the University Medical Center in Azizia and the branch of the Medical Center in the Deanship of the University Studies for Female Students in Al-Zaher throughout the day during the vaccine campaign to ensure vaccinating all target groups as follows:

First: Vaccine Campaign against Meningitis:

• Target Groups:

1. All medical cadres

2. All non-medical cadres working in Hajj affairs

3. Nationals and residents

• The age groups from 9 months to 65 years old will be vaccinated by Conjugate Vaccine, especially those who have not been vaccinated by it throughout the previous five years.
• Those who are older than 65 years old will be vaccinated by ACYW135, especially who have not been vaccinated by it throughout the previous three years.

Second: Vaccine Campaign against Seasonal Influenza:

• Target Groups: The same groups targeted in the meningitis campaign.
• All target groups will be vaccinated regardless of the previous vaccines in the past season, which ended in the month of Jamad Al-Awal 1439 AH.
• The seasonal flu vaccine will be given to the ages from 6 months to the elder.

In conclusion, Dr. Ba-Hakim expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to UQU President, Dr. Abdullah bin Omar Bafeel, for his patronage and support for this campaign, and thanked UQU vice-president, Dr. Yasser Shusho, for his continuous follow-up to the activities and events of the Medical Center, which contributed to promoting the treatment and preventive services provided by the University Medical Center to all students and employees of the university and their families as well as those eligible for treatment at the University Medical Center. He also thanked the participants in the implementation of the campaign within the university, praying to Allah Almighty to succeed this campaign and achieve its goals.