Vaccination required for Tajik pilgrims to Mecca

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DUSHANBE — Tajik pilgrims planning to complete Hajj to Mecca this year must undergo mandatory immunisations against the H1N1 virus. In fact, a government of Saudi Arabia regulation requires it of all Hajj visitors this year to maintain security during the time of the Hajj.

According to Tajik Minster of Culture Mirzoshokhrukh Asrori, the immunisations will be provided at ministry of health medical facilities, and immunised citizens will be issued a certificate of verification.

On July 27, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that there are about 134,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 flu around the world and asserted that because a future pandemic is inevitable, tallying all cases of illnesses is already impossible and unnecessary. According to the WHO, the 2009 flu pandemic is spreading internationally with unprecedented speed. Currently, mild symptoms are characteristic of the pandemic. The overwhelming majority of patients usually recover without medical assistance after about a week from the time that symptoms first appear. WHO experts note that all countries should watch for anyone becoming ill with a modified strain of the H1N1 flu.

According to Tajikistan Ministry of Culture data, in accordance with the quota allocated by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj, 5,000 Tajiks may complete the pilgrimage this year. Experts believe, however, that there will not be a pilgrimage boom this year as there has been in past years. There are many reasons for this, one of them being concern about the H1N1 flu crisis.

In addition, the nation's president said intending pilgrims will be doing a good deed by not going on the Hajj and instead materially helping countrymen who were victims of natural disasters earlier this year. Last year, the average cost of a pilgrimage to the prophet's native land for a Takij Muslim was almost US$3,000.