According to Dr. Raafat Hakeem, Director-General of Parasitic and Contagious Diseases, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has enlisted 313 health staff specialized in preventive medicine to monitor the epidemiological situation around the clock during Hajj.
Dr. Hakeem added that the Executive Committee of the MOH Preventive Medicine Program for this year's Hajj season is at the fore of the participating teams, as it consists of 12 units, out of which is a unit for epidemiological monitoring.
He further explained that the epidemiological monitoring unit is responsible for following up the epidemic cases detected among pilgrims and taking the necessary preventive measures aiming to protect these cases as well as those in contact with them. This is carried out through the ongoing and unremitting monitoring of the health and epidemiological situation of pilgrims, by means of the epidemiological survey teams spread out in 13 of the Holy Places' hospitals: 6 hospitals in the Holy City of Makkah, 4 hospitals in Mena, and 3 hospitals in Arafat.
For the sake of more clarity, Dr. Hakeem went on to say that each hospitals is supported with 6 teams: 3 internal teams, and 3 field moving teams. Internal teams, on the one hand, are responsible for monitoring the diagnosis of any epidemic cases inside the hospital, and conducting continuous follow up until recovery. Field teams, on the other hand, take the necessary preventive measures to protect these cases and those in contact with them in their residence, as well as making the patient's family aware of how to address epidemics and ways to combat them.
The Director of Parasitic and Contagious Diseases, Dr. Raafat Hakeem, concluded his statement by affirming that field medical teams are supported with all the required needs and capabilities: vaccinations, injections, injections (syringes), preventive medications, and so forth.