SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi authorities introduce an Ebola screening programme as the country prepares to receive three million pilgrims taking part in the Haj, many of whom will be travelling from Nigeria

Record ID: 189515

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi authorities introduce an Ebola screening programme as the country prepares to receive three million pilgrims taking part in the Haj, many of whom will be travelling from Nigeria
  • Date: 13th September 2014
  • Summary: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (SEPTEMBER 12, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SAUDI MEDIC PUTTING ON PROTECTIVE CLOTHING TO COPE WITH VIRUSES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT KING ABULAZIZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN JEDDAH POSTER READING (ARABIC): "EBOLA VIRUS" WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO AVOID INFECTION WITH EBOLA VIRUS ABDULGHANI AL-MALKI, DIRECTOR OF CENTRE OF HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AT KING ABDULAZIZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN JEDDAH, GIVING ORDERS ON RADIO TO MEDICAL CREWS TO CHECK NIGERIAN PILGRIMS ARRIVING FOR HAJ (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDULGHANI AL-MALKI, DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH SURVEILLANCE CENTRE AT KING ABDULAZIZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AYING: "The Ebola disease has swept through West African countries. It is a serious and fatal disease but at King Abdulaziz International Airport we have put strong preventive and scientific plans in place as studied by Saudi experts. The plans have also been proposed by some international health authorities. There is nothing to make us scared or anxious." AIRCRAFT AT KING ABDULAZIZ AIRPORT IN JEDDAH VARIOUS OF SPECIALISED MEDICAL TEAM ENTERING A PLANE CARRYING NIGERIAN PILGRIMS VARIOUS OF MEMBER OF MEDICAL TEAM CHECKING PILOT OF NIGERIAN PLANE AND THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF CABIN CREW AND PASSENGERS. TWO MEMBERS OF THE TEAM ASKING NIGERIAN PILGRIMS TO SHOW VACCINE CERTIFICATES NIGERIAN PILGRIMS SHOWING THEIR VACCINE CERTIFICATES VARIOUS OF MEDICAL TEAM CHECKING VACCINE CERTIFICATES CLOSE OF VACCINATION CERTIFICATE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDULGHANI AL-MALKI, DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH SURVEILLANCE CENTRE AT KING ABDULAZIZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SAYING: "We question all airlines carrying pilgrims. Every pilgrim must fill out this health form where some symptoms related to this disease are listed, we in the Ministry of Health go on board the aircraft and collect these medical forms." MEDICAL TEAM LEAVING THE NIGERIAN AIRCRAFT PILGRIMS LEAVING PLANE VARIOUS OF MEDICAL TEAM STOPPING PILGRIMS AND GIVING THEM MEDICINE IN TERMINAL AIRPORT ARRIVAL HALL PILGRIMS AT PASSPORT CONTROL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDULGHANI AL-MALKI,DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH SURVEILLANCE CENTRE AT KING ABDULAZIZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SAYING: "We have formed a rapid intervention team to deal with such cases (Ebola infected pilgrims), this team is working on a 24-hour a day basis. If there are any suspected cases, the team is to intervene and deal with them and accompany the patient on a secure path, transferring them from "King Abdulaziz International Airport." VARIOUS OF PILGRIM SUSPECTED OF HAVING EBOLA BEING EVACUATED TO KING FAHAD HOSPITAL IN JEDDAH VARIOUS OF AMBULANCE TRANSFERRING SUSPECTED INFECTED PILGRIM TO HOSPITAL
  • Embargoed: 28th September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: Health,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA9VW5CRIWIM42QBDG89YJWXGR8
  • Story Text: Saudi authorities have introduced an Ebola screening programme as the country prepares to receive up to three million pilgrims taking part in the Haj, many of whom will be travelling from Nigeria.
    Medical staff wearing protective clothing check all passengers on arrival at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport where passengers fill in a medical questionnaire and are given medicine as they disembark the aircraft.
    Abdulghani al-Malki, Director of King Abdulaziz International airport's Health Surveillance Centre explained the need to screen all passengers arriving in Saudi Arabia.

    "The Ebola disease has swept through West African countries. It is a serious and fatal disease but at King Abdulaziz International Airport we have put strong preventive and scientific plans in place as studied by Saudi experts. The plans have also been proposed by some international health authorities. There is nothing to make us scared or anxious," al-Malki said.

    "We question all airlines carrying pilgrims. Every pilgrim must fill out this health form where some symptoms related to this disease are listed. We in the Ministry of Health go on board the aircraft and collect these medical forms."
    In the case of a patient being diagnosed with Ebola, al Malki said that a rapid reaction team was standing by to take them straight to hospital.

    "We have formed a rapid intervention team to deal with such cases (Ebola infected pilgrims). This team is working on a 24-hour a day basis. If there are any suspected cases, the team is to intervene and deal with them," he said.
    One person suspected of having the virus was taken away by ambulance. He was later given the all clear.
    Saudi Arabia, has barred pilgrims from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea from the haj due to Ebola concerns, but will allow Nigerians to attend, an official was reported on Monday (September 8) as saying, suggesting the smaller outbreak there was less worrying.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register