Riyadh, Nov 7 (AP) The Saudi health minister said today that the kingdom will not ban anyone considered high risk for swine flu from performing the hajj pilgrimage this year.

Abdullah al-Rabeeah said it is the responsibility of individual countries to enforce recommendations by international health experts that children, the elderly and pregnant women forgo this year's pilgrimage.

"Saudi Arabia does not ban anyone because hajj is a religious event," al-Rabeeah told reporters. "Saudi Arabia has put in place strong recommendations that we hope individual countries will abide by."

Al-Rabeeah spoke at the launch of a national swine flu vaccine campaign. The minister, who is also a surgeon, rolled up his sleeve and took the first shot. He then administered the vaccine to one of his twin daughters, Hana, 8. Her sister Haifa did not get the vaccine because she contracted swine flu recently.

- (Agencies)