The Acting Minister of Health, Adel bin Mohamed Faqih, has paid a visit to the hospitals and health centers located in Makkah and the Holy Sites' area today. During the tour, the minister was briefed on all preparations and equipments taken by the ministry to serve pilgrims during this year's Hajj season.
“The inspection tour comes in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” said the minister, adding that these health facilities are running as scheduled after having been provided with modern technologies, as well as the well-qualified technical, administrative and medical cadres.
Eng. Faqih underlined that the most complicated medical cases are referred to King Abdullah Medical City, which is reckoned as a key supporter for all the Holy Sites' hospitals due to the presence of all rare specialties, in addition to operation rooms for conducting critical surgeries. He reassured citizens that no epidemic cases were reported among pilgrims so far, including Coronavirus. “Thankfully, the health status of all pilgrims is reassuring,” said Eng. Faqih, highlighting that the ministry closely follows up the different medical cases reported in some areas.
In addition, the minister illustrated that all the hospitals and health centers located in the Holy Capital (Makkah) are fully ready to receive and provide the best health services for pilgrims, whose health status requires medical or therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, Eng. Faqih underscored that all medical and pharmaceutical preparations were taken, adding that the health workers, technicians and administrative staff, who were assigned by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and other health sectors in different provinces, have arrived at the Holy Sites' hospitals and health centers.
In the same vein, Eng. Faqih noted that the ministry has prepared its health facilities in Mina and Arafat and Muzdalifah along time ago, noting that all medical equipments were tested to make sure that they are ready for the Hajj season. “Efforts are in full swing to receive pilgrims at Mina starting from Dhul Hijjah 8,” said the minister.
Accompanied by a large number of officials and advisers, Eng. Faqih visited wide-ranging hospitals and health centers to check their readiness for the Hajj season. At East Arafat Hospital, the minister visited the emergency and intensive care sections. In addition, he launched the first mobile hazardous materials decontamination unit, which contains 18 disinfection stations and a conveyor belt for critical cases. It is worth mentioning here that this unit is the first of its kind in the Kingdom and the ministry does its best to distribute it throughout the Kingdom for protection against hazardous materials.
Afterwards, Eng. Faqih visited King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah, where he visited the cardiac surgery center and the neuro-intensive care unit; that is to be added to inspecting how work is going on in the hospital during the Hajj season.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director-General of King Abdullah Medical City, Dr. Yasin Malawi, pointed out that the hospital has carried out 420 cardiac catheterization operations during the period from Dhul Qaedah 16 till now, including 164 operations for pilgrims. “In addition, 35 open-heart surgeries were performed during the same period, including 16 surgeries for pilgrims,” he concluded.
Also, the minister inspected Al-Noor Hospital in Makkah, where he visited the X-ray and intensive care sections.
Later, Eng. Faqih paid a visit to King Faisal Hospital and its medical tower which is equipped with 300 highly-equipped beds. At the hospital, the minister inspected the hospitalization, intensive care and emergency sections along with the 26-room isolation unit, which is supplied with the latest technologies exactly like intensive care rooms.
He also visited intensive care rooms of cardiac patients and burn cases. Afterwards, the minister visited many hospitals and health centers in Mina, including Mina Share Al-Jadid Hospital and Khaima Health Center, where he inspected vital sections, including outpatient clinics, hospitalization sections, pharmacies and intensive care units.
In the same vein, the minister paid a visit to Mina al-Wadi Hospital, where he inspected work at the hospital’s clinics, intensive care rooms, emergency sections, operation rooms, laboratories as well as x-ray and hospitalization sections. He also visited the sunstroke and heat exhaustion section, which was equipped with spray fans to treat patients. At Mina Al-Jisr Hospital, the minister visited the different sections and met with its staffers.
At the end of the tour, the minister visited the outpatient clinics, hospitalization sections, pharmacy and intensive care units at Mina Emergency Hospital. He was also briefed on the latest preparations for operating the air ambulance for the first time in the hospital, in cooperation with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority. This came after the hospital’s airstrip was prepared for this purpose.