JEDDAH: Saudia Arabia has announced the meningitis vaccine will be mandatory for all the participants of Hajj 2025,aiming to safeguard the health of millions of pilgrims, which will be applicable to both Saudi and Foreign Nationals participating in Hajj 2025.
According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the vaccination is a non-negotiable requirement to provide complete defense against the possibly fatal illness and the Hajj packages and registration will not proceed for those failed to receive it.
This decision is in response to the necessity to avoid the spread of infectious illnesses during the Hajj and that limiting the spread of dangerous illnesses has become an absolute need for the safety of all pilgrims, The Ministry emphasized.
Pilgrims’ close contact in limited settings renders them more vulnerable to outbreaks.
In January, the Saudi Ministry of Health announced health recommendations for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, including required vaccines and preventative measures.
Earlier, The Ministry of Religious Affairs announced the final cost of the Hajj package under the government scheme for the year 2025.
The ministry spokesperson said that the cost of the long-term Hajj package has been fixed at Rs 1,075,000 while the cost of the short-term Hajj package will be Rs 1,150,000.
He said that banks will collect the third installment of Hajj dues from Hajj pilgrims from February 1 to 10, 2025.
He revealed that there are still a limited number of seats available for the long-term Hajj package under the government scheme, adding that new applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis till January 30.
