The Ministry of Health (MOH) has completed its preparations for construction, operation and maintenance of health centers that will be operated during the pilgrimage season this year. The Ministry also continued providing its health services to pilgrims through its health facilities located in the holy sites.
Eng. Ahmad Al-Beiz, the Assistant Undersecretary of Engineering Affairs and the Chairman of the Hajj Projects Committee, announced that the Ministry has completed the periodic maintenance of 80 health centers in the Holy Sites, including 28 health centers in Mena, 46 health centers in Arafat, and 6 health centers in Muzdalifah. All these centers are ready for seasonal operation.
He indicated in his statement that the Ministry is also implementing the project of the full replacement of 12 health centers, category (C) in Arafat to be operated this year. In addition, the Ministry is implementing the replacement of the Center of Preventive Medicine in Al-Muaissim in Mina, and a number of projects for roofing, developing and improving facades and internal departments of some health facilities in the Holy sites.
Engineer Al-Beiz said that the Ministry is looking forward to upgrading and developing its health facilities overall and the health facilities in the holy sites in particular. In this respect, the Ministry will be carrying out studies required to cover the needs of these facilities. Specialists in the Ministry will conduct such studies so that they reflect positively on the level of health services provided by these facilities in pilgrimage season. This is done in accordance with the priorities that are developed and implemented either fully or in stages without affecting the workflow and the level of performance of these facilities, while ensuring its operation prior to the beginning of the pilgrimage season.
He stated that the Ministry's plan in its health facilities in the holy sites is based on several axes that include conducting field studies for each site according to the required needs, the target, the quality of service provided, the capacity of all departments and the numbers of workforce while providing services required for each site, as well as setting a full concept for all projects required in health facilities in the holy sites. Then, based on all this the general structure, maps and graphics for each site are prepared, and urgent projects in health facilities in the holy sites are addressed, which can benefit in the operation of the sites for Hajj this year.
Eng. Al-Beiz added that the capacity of the Hospital of East Arafat is 236 beds, which will be operated in the pilgrimage season in 1433 AH, God willing. This hospital is a new addition to health services provided by the Ministry of Health to serve the pilgrims. It includes 50 beds in the intensive care unit and 29 beds in the emergency department. Al-Beiz explained that the project comes within a range of projects implemented by the Ministry of Health in the areas of Madinah, Makkah and the holy sites.