The Ministry of Health (MOH) has launched its vaccination campaign in all Kingdom’s regions and governorates on Sunday morning, 17th November, 2013 (corresponding to 14th Muharram, 1435 H), targeting 500.000 boy and girl students at the first grade in all primary schools, including the governmental and private schools, in addition to the Qur'an Memorization schools; in order to vaccinate the students with MMR vaccine, DPT vaccine, and Oral Poliovirus Vaccine (OPV).
Within the same vein, the Deputy Minister of Health for Public Health, Dr. Ziad Memish, has pointed out: “This is reckoned one of the basic vaccinations in the Vaccinations Schedule, given that the second dose of MMR vaccine is complementary to the first one; in an endeavor to give children immunity against the three diseases: Measles, Mumps and Rubella. Whereas the DPT vaccine dose is given to protect against Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus, Allah Willing.”
In a press statement, Dr. Memish went on adding: “Since MOH, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, launched this vaccination campaign within schools, the vaccination coverage has attained a record number, amounting to 98% for this targeted age group. This, in turn, resulted in reducing the incidence of the associated diseases with these vaccines. That is why the Kingdom has been receiving acclaim from the international organizations and the World Health Organization (WHO). Therefore, we hope to achieve higher percentage this year, Allah Willing.”
Finally, Dr. Memish has called on all parents to urge their children, to take these vaccination doses, meanwhile calling on all departments to facilitate the task of the school health field teams.