Every year in Saudi Arabia, millions of people from throughout the world make a pilgrimage to the holy muslin city of Mecca. (Dr. Majid Alshamrani, ED of infection prevention and control program at the Ministry of National Guard)

Keeping these pilgrims safe from infectious diseases that can spread rapidly among the vast group of people who come to Mecca is a responsibility that the Saudi government takes very seriously.  For this reason the Saudis cooperate with WHO, (World Health Organization) and other countries to require Haj pilgrims to meet required health guidelines before Haj visas are approved.  One of the deadly infectious diseases most feared is meningococcal meningitis.  It is a great credit to the Saudi government that they have chosen to take such a proactive effort to protect their people and the people who make the annual pilgrimage to the Haj.

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