The Himaya health initiative was introduced at the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum 2026 in Madinah on May 6, bringing vaccination against meningitis, flu, and COVID-19 into focus for pilgrims preparing for their journey.
The forum, held in Madinah, drew more than 29,000 visitors from 165 countries, representing the full breadth of the Umrah ecosystem. As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 target to welcome thirty million Umrah performers annually, the event reflects the sector’s rapid transformation and the scale of coordination required to serve this expanding pilgrimage.
Vaccination Framework for Mass Gatherings
The Himaya health initiative emerged through collaboration between Sanofi, Arabio, and the Kingdom’s health authorities. A dedicated panel session titled “Health Preparedness and Preventive Measures for Pilgrims and Visitor Services” brought together health and industry leaders to address meningococcal meningitis as a preventable disease in mass gathering environments. The discussion advanced beyond scientific theory toward operational implementation of meningococcal vaccination for Umrah performers.
Data from the first quarter of 2025 recorded more than eight million unique Umrah performers, underscoring the scale of continuous movement from over 180 countries. This volume makes disease prevention a critical operational priority. The panel confirmed a path toward implementing vaccination as the first essential act of preparation for every pilgrim.
Health Authority Support and Implementation
Dr Abdulla Assiri, Deputy Minister for Population Health at the Ministry of Health, said: “Hajj and Umrah pilgrims are a priority for the Ministry of Health. Through comprehensive health guidance and the Himaya initiative, delivered in collaboration with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, we are working to raise awareness, keep pilgrims informed of the latest health requirements, and encourage early vaccination to support a safer and healthier pilgrimage.”
Baptist De Clarens, General Manager Vaccines at Sanofi Greater Gulf, stated: “Through our strong collaboration with Arabio and health authorities in the Kingdom, we are defining a new standard of care for pilgrims. Aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, this initiative is a meaningful step toward a future that ensures proactive protection is an accessible, natural part of every pilgrim’s preparation, safeguarding not just the individual journey, but the communities they return to.”
Operational Integration Across the Pilgrim Journey
Rehan Ahmed, Acting CEO at Arabio, said: “Delivering on the promise of public health at this massive scale requires total coordination across the entire pilgrim and medical ecosystem. By aligning our operational strengths with Sanofi and the health authorities in the Kingdom, we are working to ensure the meningitis vaccine is accessible, understood, and embraced by health care providers and internal pilgrims as an essential part of the journey they have been preparing for. Our shared goal is to remove health barriers so pilgrims can focus entirely on their spiritual journey.”
The Himaya health initiative aims to integrate vaccination against meningitis, flu, and COVID-19 as a natural step in pilgrimage preparation, equivalent in importance to packing Ihram or preparing prayers for loved ones. Pilgrims may book meningitis vaccination through the Sehhaty App at least ten days before travel, with one appointment providing five years of protection.
About the Initiative and Participating Organizations
The Himaya health initiative is a public health collaboration between Sanofi, Arabio, and Saudi Arabia’s health authorities. It works to establish vaccination recommendations for meningitis, flu, and COVID-19 to protect people during mass gatherings such as Umrah. The initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 health agenda and the Kingdom’s goal to lead global standards in mass gathering medicine.
Arabio, established in 2005 and headquartered in Riyadh with a manufacturing facility in Makkah, supplies more than ten vaccines included in the Kingdom’s national immunization program. Sanofi is a biopharmaceutical company focused on vaccines and medicines that treat and protect millions globally.
