LAHORE, Nov 9: The Federal Religious Affairs Ministry will launch a 22-day programme for training and inoculation of intending pilgrims against meningitis in Punjab from Thursday (today).

Mobile teams have also been dispatched to different districts for the purpose.

Pilgrims intending to perform Haj under the government scheme will be trained by professors of different universities and colleges and shown documentary films on Haj rituals. Private Haj group organizers will make arrangements for pilgrims training separately.

Inoculation of all intending pilgrims against meningitis is compulsory. Arrangements for inoculation will be made during the training programmes. Intending pilgrims failing to get themselves inoculated in their districts will be offered the facility at their respective Haji camps.

Teams will inoculate and train pilgrims at the Municipal Committee Hall, Sheikhupura, on Thursday (today) and Jinnah Hall, Hafizabad, and Chiniot tehsil council hall on Friday (tomorrow).

The intending pilgrims will be inoculated and trained at the Kasur district council hall and Jaranwala tehsil council hall on Nov 12, and Faisalabad district council hall and Government Boys High School No 1, Samundri, on No 14.

Teams will train the pilgrims at Faisalabad district council hall on Nov 15 and Toba Tek Singh district council hall on Nov 16. While the training will be held at Jhang district council hall on Nov 17 and Jinnah Hall Company Bagh, Sargodha, on Nov 18.

The intending pilgrims will be inoculated and trained at Bhalwal tehsil council hall on Nov 19 and Haji Camp on Nicholson Road, Lahore, on Nov 20, 21, 22 and 23.

Inoculation and training will be arranged at the Mashriq Science College, Kangniwala Bypass, Gujranwala, on Nov 21 and 22 and Government Degree College for Boys, Daska, on Nov 22. Training and inoculation will be held at Gujrat district council hall on Nov 23 and 24 and Government Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Degree College, Wazirabad, on Nov 24. It will be held at Anwar Club, Sialkot, on Nov 25 and 26.

Training and inoculation will be arranged at Sheikh Ferozuddin Housing Scheme, Nankana Sahib, on Nov 27 and Community Centre Hall, Mandi Bahauddin, on Nov 28.

The teams will be available at Government Islamia Degree College for Boys, Narowal, and Pattoki tehsil council hall on Nov 29.

The teams will train and inoculate the intending pilgrims at Sahiwal district council hall on Nov 30 and hold the last training and inoculation camp at Arts Council Hall, Okara, on Dec 1.