His Excellency the Minister of Health, Eng. Khalid Al-Falih, met at his ministerial office in Jeddah yesterday, Saturday evening, with His Excellency the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Benin and his accompanying delegation.
At the outset of the meeting, Eng. Al-Falih has extended the deepest condolences of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness the Deputy Crown Prince, and the Saudi government and people to the guest minister and the Beninese government and people, especially the deceased pilgrims’ families, on the passing away of some Beninese pilgrims in the tragic Mina stampede incident.
For his part, Benin’s Foreign Minister has extended his thanks and appreciation to the Saudi government, for the colossal efforts exerted to provide the best services for pilgrims and harnessing all capabilities to help them perform the rituals easily and conveniently. Besides, he commended the high-level performance of the government in handling Mina stampede incident, by means of caring for the injured pilgrims and providing emergency and therapeutic services for them. Also, he highlighted that his government is well aware that this stampede incident was a matter of fate.
Commenting on his visit to the hospital for checking on the health status of the Beninese injured pilgrims, Benin’s Foreign Minister has lauded the paradigm shift witnessed in the health services provided by the Kingdom for pilgrims. “Thanks to Allah, these health services played the main role in the recovery of a large number of the injured pilgrims in a short time,” stated the guest minister, commending the advanced medical devices and the new technologies adopted at hospitals; a matter which reflects the high-level health services.
Concluding his visit, the guest minister extended his thanks to the Kingdom for the kindness and cooperation shown to pilgrims of the Republic of Benin during the Hajj season. He also underlined that bilateral relationships with KSA are strong, and that the Republic of Benin stands in solidarity of with the Saudi government and people.