KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia plans to develop a halal meningitis vaccine jointly with Cuba within the next two years. Most meningitis vaccines are produced from pig products, which are forbidden among Muslims.

The project will cost 3.6 million ringgit (£520,000) and is aimed at the thousands of Muslims who are infected with the disease during the annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Mustapa Mohamed, the Higher Education Minister, said that Malaysia would provide two million ringgit for the project while Cuba would fund the remaining 1.6 million. The halal vaccine is a joint project between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the Finlay Institute, in Havana.

Mr Mustapa said that 12 USM specialists and 30 Cuban experts would develop the vaccine from halal extracts from animals slaughtered according to Islamic rules.

Malaysia is trying to position itself as a global hub for the halal industry, which it estimates to be worth £280 billion annually. (AFP)

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