News
23 August 2005
Saudi Arabia - Poliomyelitis Vaccination Requirements
The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia has announced new requirements for polio immunisation for persons travelling to Saudi Arabia [1]. The directive stipulates that all travellers under the age of 15 years from Afghanistan, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan and Yemen, countries that are currently reporting wild type polio virus (and subject to change), will be required to show valid and up-to-date proof of vaccination in order to obtain entry visas. In addition, evidence of poliomyelitis vaccination will be mandatory for children under the age of 15 years, regardless of previous immunisation history, arriving from the above countries at Saudi Arabian border points. This directive has been supported by the World Health Organization.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is vulnerable to the introduction of wild poliomyelitis, especially during the pilgrimage seasons (Umrah, October 2005 and Hajj, January 2006) when thousands of visitors arrive from countries where outbreaks of poliomyelitis disease are reported. Two cases of poliomyelitis in late 2004 were imported into Saudi Arabia from neighbouring Sudan [2].
This effort to ensure vaccination of all pilgrims and other visitors from countries currently reporting wild type poliomyelitis, will attempt to reduce the risk of importation, transmission and spread of wild type polio within and beyond Saudi Arabia.
Travellers from the United Kingdom
It is recommended that all travellers from the United Kingdom should have completed their course of poliomyelitis vaccine according to the British schedule. An additional dose is recommended for travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, if the last dose was given more than 10 years ago.
References
1. WHO. Wkly Epidemiol Rec 19 August 2005;80:277-288. www.polioeradication.org/content/pressreleases/
2. WHO. Wkly Epidemiol Rec 7 January 2005;80:1-8. www.who.int/wer/2005/wer8001.pdf
Links to further information
Global Polio Eradication Initiative. WHO: www.polioeradication.org
Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia: www.moh.gov.sa
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia: www.ukemb.mofa.gov.sa
NaTHNaC Poliomyelitis Information Sheet:
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