Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 04-11-2016
The South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) says the requirement of vaccination records have been implemented during preparations of hajj when Saudi authorities announced no visas would be issued without the required documentation.
It emerged yesterday that there was a shortage of yellow cards which are mandatory to be included in the submission of passports to the embassy for visas.
SAHUC President Shaheen Essop told Radio Islam the yellow cards is a necessity as required by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“The kingdom is certainly tightening up on its requirements whether it be for umrah or for hajj in this particular regard.”
Essop says he is not aware that pilgrims were not allowed to board flights without yellow cards.
“Well that we’ve got to ask Saudi Airlines, but what we know is visas were not issued if those yellow cards were not inserted or accompanied in the passports.”
Essop says the Saudi embassy has agreed to accept a signed doctor’s letter which must include the physician and passenger’s full names, the date the yellow fever and meningitis vaccines were administered and the batch numbers of the vaccines.
Essop has dismissed the cost of vaccines increasing the umrah and hajj prices saying the charges do not get repeated and is once off and while he is not a medical professional he understands the validity of the meningitis vaccine is valid for a period of six years while yellow fever is a lifetime vaccination
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