The Regional Director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean, Ahmed Al-Mandhari, revealed the opinion of the World Health Organization on Saudi Arabia’s decision to raise the number of pilgrims this year to one million pilgrims, saying: “We are confident that Saudi Arabia has taken this important decision after a thorough study of the internal situation of the pandemic, and an accurate assessment of the risks and benefits, including It ensures the health of pilgrims and their safe and secure exit during the Hajj season, and we know that vaccination rates in Saudi Arabia have reached very high levels, and that the health requirements for entering pilgrims make it imperative for every pilgrim to receive vaccine doses in a timely manner before entering Saudi Arabia.”
He added during an interview with “Al Arabiya.net”: Nevertheless, we call on the authorities to redouble efforts to ensure that all pilgrims adhere to preventive measures during the Hajj season and to observe public health measures. These procedures and measures, while being careful to get vaccinations, are the way to secure the Hajj season.
Grand Mosque in Mecca
What are the latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa?
We thank God that recent weeks have witnessed a significant decrease in the number of cases and deaths in the region for the third consecutive week. Although we have seen an overall decrease in injuries and deaths regionally and globally, we are still very much in the shadow of a pandemic, and we must remain vigilant to avoid further grief and suffering. Each of us can ensure that our decisions and actions do not ultimately lead to a catastrophic outcome for anyone to whom we may unknowingly infect, causing the pandemic to further spread. The chain of transmission can only be stopped if we all make a conscious and collective decision to stop the spread of this disease completely.
Corona pandemic end date
Is there a specific date for the end of the Corona virus pandemic? What about the upcoming pandemics, are there any serious indications?
We hope that by the end of this year we will witness a containment of the virus in light of the noticeable increase in the rates of vaccination coverage, but the end of the pandemic is still far away, due to many factors, including the disparity in vaccination rates between different countries, the emergence of mutations that are characterized by rapid spread and the easing of procedures that sometimes take place without assessing the conditions And in appreciation of the positions, and I repeat that ending the pandemic is in our hands if we continue to fully adhere to health and preventive measures and provide vaccines for everyone who needs them, up to the targeted percentages. As for future pandemics, we always say that the occurrence of pandemics is expected at any time, but we do not know any A pandemic in particular, nor the type of virus that will cause it, and let us remember that we expected the emergence of a pandemic before the outbreak of Covid 19, and this requires us to be in a permanent state of readiness, and to be prepared in terms of surveillance, complete equipment, tools, capabilities, and planning for response and response, and this confirms the importance of adhering to the requirements of the International Health Regulations.
Vaccine safety
What about the safety of new vaccines? Is it possible to start the fourth dose soon to prevent corona virus and its strain?
Vaccines approved by the organization for emergency use or those approved by trusted accreditation bodies that are globally and regionally reliable, are all safe, safe and efficient, and achieve protection in varying proportions, and with regard to the fourth dose or the booster doses in general, their usefulness has been proven in certain cases against certain groups of sufferers Those with weak immunity or those with immune diseases, and the priority is still to provide the vaccine to the groups that have not yet received the basic doses, as they are more deserving of getting the vaccine to avoid infection.
The war in Ukraine
– In light of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, are there any developments on the ground that the World Health Organization has dealt with?
WHO is committed to being present in Ukraine now and for the long-term, to address immediate health challenges and future reconstruction needs. We are preparing to redeploy teams across the country as access and security improves
WHO is working with nearly 100 local and international partners to deliver life-saving medical supplies to the worst affected areas of Ukraine, and we continue to advocate for safe passage to deliver vital supplies to Mariupol and other besieged cities, and WHO is doing its best to restart its operations and country office in the capital. Kyiv.
The World Health Organization echoes the UN Secretary-General’s call for a ceasefire, to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need and to allow those who want to leave to do so.
We deplore the continuation of attacks on health care institutions, as attacks on these institutions lead to the killing and injury of civilians, and impede the provision of health care and access to those who need it, and we stress the need to adhere to humanitarian and international human rights laws.
Corona and the 2022 World Cup
– We are approaching the 2022 World Cup, and we are still living in the midst of the Corona virus pandemic… How will the large numbers expected to attend the World Cup be dealt with from the point of view of the World Health Organization?
This is a really important topic, and it was prepared in advance through a unique global partnership to advance health during the World Cup, where senior leaders in the World Health Organization, the State of Qatar, which is hosting the World Championship, and FIFA agreed on a set of measures that will be implemented during the tournament held this year. The partnership, launched in late 2021, is committed to:
• Protecting the health of all participants in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and cooperating to ensure that it is a healthy and safe event, starting from implementing precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 to providing healthy food options.
• Taking the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as a platform to promote healthy lifestyles: the tournament will inspire millions of people around the world to increase their interest in playing football and engaging in sporting activities, including the launch of a campaign to raise awareness of the health benefits of physical activity. The State of Qatar has also signed a three-year partnership with WHO to improve access to health care and promote healthy lifestyles throughout the country.
Plan to protect and promote health in future mass gatherings: The World Cup offers a unique opportunity to develop a new approach to organizing major sporting events, taking into account the lessons learned from the pandemic and promoting sport and health as a path to recovery.
Saudi healthy cities
– The World Health Organization has recently adopted the Healthy Cities Program in Saudi Arabia as a cooperating center with the organization.. What is the goal and are there any updates on this issue?
The Healthy Cities Program is one of the largest initiatives aimed at promoting a healthy environment and healthy lifestyles and protecting the planet as a whole, through the implementation of a very long list of more than 80 requirements that must be met to declare a city a healthy city, and we are happy that the number of cities that have been declared healthy cities is increasing In our region, the World Health Organization has adopted the Healthy Cities Program in Saudi Arabia, as a cooperating center with the organization. Through this program, the World Health Organization has approved nine medical cities in various regions in Saudi Arabia, namely Ad-Diriyah, Medina, Taif, Unayzah, Jalajil, and Al-Mandaq Al-Jumum. We hope that the program will continue to achieve the successes and goals attached to it.