WHO General Manager Dr. Margaret Chan extended her gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on behalf of WHO for its efficient contribution in combating poliomyelitis, especially in OIC countries. She praised in a telegram sent to the Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Mane the strict monitoring system applied by the Ministry of Health for identifying new cases. She, moreover, appreciated the MOH requirement from all passengers entering the Kingdom for Hajj or Omera to be vaccinated against the disease before entering the Kingdom, in addition to vaccinating them in the different portals, denoting that such procedures have assisted in controlling the disease internationally and contributed in rescuing many children from being infected.
The Kingdom celebrated recently the occasion of being granted the polio free appreciation certificate from WHO. No polio case has been detected in the Kingdom since 1995, a matter which is attributed to the fact that the Kingdom is one of the first countries in the region to apply child vaccinations, including polio.
The Council of Ministers in its meeting on Monday 15/02/1428H praised the achievements attained by the Kingdom within in the health sector, especially childhood health.