His Excellency the Vice Minister for Planning and Development, Dr. Muhammad Khoshaim, disclosed that isolation rooms have been increased in the Holy Sites to ensure treating all the infectious cases in four hospitals in Mina and Arafat, with a capacity of 5.000 beds, including intensive-care 500 beds.
He added that the Ministry has introduced a mechanism for epidemiological surveillance in the land air and sea ports, by conducting screening on the pilgrims coming from the targeted countries, filling the health cards to identify their whereabouts during the last 21 days preceding their arrival to the Kingdom.
"As part of its plan,” he said, “MOH sought to control and prevent the incidence of epidemics and the infectious diseases, and especially the pandemic spread of such diseases during the Hajj season. The preventive measures against epidemic and infectious diseases are taken in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO); not to forget that the Ministry has informed the Saudi Embassies and Consulates abroad of its health requirements to be adhered to."
He added that the Ministry has also adopted additional emergency measures and procedures in line with the directives of His Excellency the Minister of Health to raise the level of readiness during the Hajj season, keep all the workforce fully vigilant and ready to address any emergency, besides assigning all senior officials and employees in the relevant ministry departments to keep working during Eid Al-Adha vacation for coordination with them in emergencies.
Within the same vein, the Deputy Minister of Health for Planning and Development, uncovered that the preventive services were given top priority within the Ministry's strategy for this Hajj season. These services include providing protection to the arrivals for Hajj (as well as citizens and residents in the mass gathering areas) against infectious diseases affecting the public health, by eliminating their sources coming with the arrivals for Hajj, preventing their spread, controlling epidemic diseases during and after the Hajj, to prevent the entrance of epidemic and quarantine diseases which are subject to the international health regulations, in addition to applying the health requirements on pilgrims coming through Kingdom's land, sea and air ports to put into effect the motto: “Prevention is better than cure”.
Dr. Khoshain asserted that the Hajj and Umrah pilgrims' health and comfort receive growing attention from the Government of the Custodian of the Tow Holy Mosques, as represented by the Ministry of Health, in addition to the support, keenness, planning and development. “That is very clearly manifested in the level of preparations and readiness of the Hajj facilities devoted for pilgrims at all levels and specialties in Makkah, Madinah, Holy Sites and the Kingdom's ports of entry,” he added.
Dr. Khoshaim concluded, "Thanks be to Allah Almighty for guiding the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques - Allah bless him - towards supporting the health sector and giving it the highest priority for the provision of all means of comprehensive healthcare, besides making the service of the Guests of Allah its main objective and harnessing all its capabilities for that end; something which has been positively reflected on the Ministry's plans and programs aiming at making health services available for pilgrims and visitors. I pray to Allah Almighty to perpetuate the safety and stability of this country, and to protect its rulers. He listens and responds."