SEA Games: National athletes must have vaccination

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 -- National athletes to the 2019 SEA Games in Philippines are required to have vaccination to avoid getting infected by diseases prevailing at several Games venues.

National contingent chief Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin said all sports associations have to prepare their athletes for the vaccination on the dates to be announced by the National Sports Institute (NSI) before leaving for Philippines.

"NSI will set the dates for the vaccination appointment and all sport associations have to ensure their Philippines-bound athletes get the vaccination at NSI,” he said at a media conference after the second SEA Games Team Manager meeting at Wisma OCM here today.

The call to have vaccination was issued by the Malaysian Embassy in Philippines and the Health Ministry during a visit of the National Sports Council (NSC) representatives headed by its director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail, NSI and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) to all competition venues recently.

According to NSI medical director, Dr Arshad Buji, the embassy had informed that among the diseases prevailing in several parts of Philippines is measles.

In this regard, he confirmed the Jalur Gemilang hand over ceremony by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to the national contingent is scheduled on last day of the athlete assembly from Nov 19 to 21.

The 30th SEA Games will be held from Nov 30 to Dec 11 involving 56 events in three clusters namely Manila, Subic and Clark.

-- BERNAMA