The Ministry of Health has launched a nationwide vaccination campaign to combat measles and rubella. The campaign began on November 3, 2024, and covered all the Kingdom’s regions and governorates. It aims to eliminate these diseases by 2028 as part of the Health Sector Transformation Program goals, under Saudi Vision 2030, and to enhance local and global health security.
The campaign aims to cover all target groups to reduce the transmission of infection in schools and educational institutions, and to enhance herd immunity to protect society from the spread of the disease. It also seeks to raise health awareness of the importance of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases.
The Ministry of Health stated that the campaign targets age groups from 6 months to 18 years. Children from 6 months to 6 years will be vaccinated at healthcare centers and kindergartens in the first phase of the campaign. The other groups will get vaccinations in schools, educational institutions and technical institutes later in the second phase of the campaign.
These efforts come as part of the Ministry of Health's efforts to develop the health infrastructure and enhance health awareness of the importance of prevention and vaccination, to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for all segments of society.