For the eighth consecutive year, the Media Information and Health Awareness Center (of the MOH Media and Health Awareness General Department) provides the services dubbed: “Pilgrims' Health Is our Concern). It is offered by the Center through its toll-free number 8002494444, and the MOH's page on Twitter: @saudimoh. The Center will be interviewing everyday a constellation of high-profile consultant physicians from all over the Kingdom in all specialties.
The Center will be receiving inquirers calls and questions, in order for specialists to provide answers to all such inquiries, especially those related to Hajj and Umrah. The service provides, as of Saturday, October 6th, 2012, information regarding the requirements to be met by Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, in addition to tips and guidelines to be followed during Hajj. From 1 to 3 pm, the Center is holding an interview with Ms. Reem Al-Qarni, a clinical nutritionist at Prince Sultan Humanitarian Center, to talk on this pivotal domain.
The MOH Media Information and Health Awareness Center will continue to provide its highly acclaimed services: “Pilgrims' Health Is our Concern” before and during Hajj and Umrah. On Sunday, October 7th, 2012, from 1 to 3 pm, the Center will be interviewing Dr. Na'elah Abul-Jadayel, a consultant of chest diseases.
On Monday, October 8th, 2012, from 10 am to 12 pm, the Center is holding an interview with Dr. Mona Al-Awwad, a gynecologist, to provide apt answers for the inquiries submitted by the women wanting to perform the Hajj rites. She will also provide them the tips to be followed, and the precautions to be taken.
Still, on Tuesday, October 9, 2012, from 10 am to 12 pm, the Center is interviewing Dr. Khaled Al-Nemr, a cardiologist, to raise the elders' health awareness, and provide answers for their inquiries, in a way that shows whether they are, or aren't, able to perform the Hajj rites.
Besides, the Center is hosting Dr. Munirah Ba-Rajaa, a consultant physician of family and community medicine, on Wednesday, October 10th, 2012, from 1 to 3 pm.
To address the issue of endemic and infectious diseases, and to provide the proper tips for pilgrims to avoid such diseases and how to behave on the incidence of emergency, the Center will be interviewing Dr. Nesreen Al-Sherbini, a consultant physician of infectious diseases and fevers at the Military Hospital, on Saturday, October 13th, 2012.
On Sunday, October 14th, 2012, from 1 to 3 pm, the Center will be interviewing Dr. Safiyah Al-Sherbini, a consultant of diabetes and endocrinology at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC).
In addition to that, the Center is interviewing Dr. Nasser Al-Dosari, a consultant physician of gastroenterology and endoscopy, and Head of the Digestive System and Liver Section at King Saudi Medical City (KSMC) – Riyadh, to provide apt answers for patients and their families regarding this crucially important specialty. The interview will be aired on Monday, October 15th, 2012, from 10 am to 12 pm.
On Tuesday, October 16th, 2012, from 1 to 3 pm, the Center is interviewing Dr. Jameel Feqiha, an orthopedist.
On the last day of the service: “Pilgrims' Health Is our Concern”, Wednesday, October 17th, 2012, the Center will be interviewing Dr. Yahia Abu Sab'ah, a consultant physician of internal medicine and chest diseases, from 10 am to 12 pm.
In addition to that, the Centers' specialists will be always ready for serving pilgrims around the clock, throughout the working days, by providing tips to prompt pilgrims and their families to adhere to prescriptions and the similar health affairs.
It is worth mentioning, the Ministry of Health has harnessed its potentials and capabilities for serving pilgrims, through the Ministry's health facilities: 25 hospitals (four hospitals at Mount Arafat, four hospitals in Mina, seven hospitals at the Holy City of Makkah, nine hospitals in Madinah, in addition to King Abdullah Medical City). The number of clinical beds at the hospitals based in Hajj Sites is about 5250 beds (4200 hospitalization beds, 500 intensive care beds, and 550 emergency beds), in addition to 141 health centers (permanent and seasonal) at the Hajj Sites (43 health centers at the Holy City of Makkah, 80 health centers at the Holy Places: 46 centers at Mount Arafat, 6 centers overlooking the Muzdalifah Trail, and 28 centers in Mina), in addition to 12 health centers in Madinah.
Aside from that, the Ministry has attracted 220 participants of the labor force specialized in rare specialties (physicians and nurses), to support the health facilities at the Holy City of Makkah and Madinah. That's to be added to providing 80 big ambulances, to transport patients among the health facilities based in the Hajj Sites, and 95 small ambulances to address diseased cases in field. Each ambulance was supported with a physician and a nurse.