Himaya makes its mark at the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum 2026, bringing health to heart of the pilgrim experience
 

(MADINAH) - The Umrah and Ziyarah Forum 2026, held recently in Madinah, convened more than 29,000 visitors from 165 countries, representing the full breadth of the Umrah ecosystem from travel operators and hospitality groups to health authorities to industry leaders. As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 ambition to welcome 30 million Umrah performers annually, this gathering reflects a sector that is transforming at pace.

Sanofi and Arabio were among the very few healthcare voices in that space. Through the first public showcase of the Himaya initiative and a dedicated panel session on pilgrim health preparedness, they placed health on the agenda of an industry conversation. They made the case that, in a gathering of this scale, protecting pilgrims is not a medical footnote. It is a pillar of the entire pilgrimage experience.

The panel session, titled "Health Preparedness and Preventive Measures for Pilgrims and Visitor Services," brought together health and industry leaders united by a shared conviction. As Umrah grows in scale and ambition, the responsibility to protect every pilgrim must grow with it. With more than eight million unique Umrah performers recorded in the first quarter of 2025 alone, Umrah is a year-round, continuous movement of people from over 180 countries converging in the world's most sacred spaces. The discussion centered on meningococcal meningitis as a well-understood, preventable disease in mass gathering environments and on the significant opportunity that comes from aligning health, regulatory, and technical entities across the pilgrim journey.

The panel discussions revolved around the need for effective measures to prevent disease transmission in Umrah and confirmed a path toward implementing meningococcal vaccination for Umrah performers, as the conversation at the Forum moved from scientific theory to operational reality. Vaccination is not merely a formality. It is the first essential act of preparation for every pilgrim.

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.”

"At Sanofi, we are proud to bring the Himaya initiative to the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum, demonstrating our long-standing commitment to the Kingdom and the health of every pilgrim," said Baptiste De Clarens, General Manager Vaccines at Sanofi Greater Gulf. "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."

"Delivering on the promise of public health at this massive scale requires total coordination across the entire pilgrim and medical ecosystem," said Rehan Ahmed, Acting CEO at Arabio." 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 HCPs 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."

Himaya, which translates to protection in Arabic, aims to make vaccination against meningitis, flu, and COVID as natural as packing Ihram or gathering prayers for loved ones at home. A vaccinated pilgrim is a protected pilgrim and a gift to everyone around them.

The journey of a lifetime deserves to begin with protection. Pilgrims are invited to book their meningitis vaccination through the Sehhaty App, available on iOS and Android, at least ten days before travel. One appointment secures five years of protection, ensuring the journey is completed safely for you and your family.

Himaya is a public health initiative established through a collaboration between Sanofi, Arabio, and health authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

PRINT THIS ARTICLE