The Ministry of Health (MOH) has launched today the first phase of the national vaccination campaign against measles, rubella and mumps, targeting the students at elementary schools, under the theme: (Let’s Vaccinate Our Children to Protect Our Country).
The Assistant Deputy Minister of Health for Preventive Health, Dr. Abdullah Mufarreh Assiri, has pointed out that the Campaign comes as part of the Expanded Program on Immunization’s (EPI) strategies to eliminate diseases, within the framework of the Kingdom’s commitment to eradicating measles, rubella and mumps, in line with the objective set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, in addition to the global commitment to this aspect.
“This Campaign will be implemented in two phases, targeting children and teens aged from 1 to 18 years,” said Assiri, indicating that the first stage has been launched today at schools by medical teams, with a view to vaccinating about 3 million students at primary schools (students in first grade are to be given Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), triple bacterial vaccine (DPT), chickenpox vaccine and triple viral vaccine (SRP), while students from the second to sixth grade are to be given only triple viral vaccine (SRP). Assiri expounded that triple viral vaccine (SRP) has been provided at a rate of 100% for the first phase of the Campaign.
Furthermore, Assiri added: “The second phase of the Campaign targets preschool children, aged from 1 to 5 years, in addition to students at the middle and secondary schools, kindergartens, nurseries and vocational, security and military institutes, pointing out that vaccination will be given inside these places, along with the primary health care centers. The start date of this phase will be announced later.”