The Ministry of Health (MOH) keeps on providing its services in both Makkah and Madinah to the Hajj performers, and provides health care for them. Thus, the Deputy Minister for Planning and Development; the Head of the preparatory Hajj Committees, Dr. Mohammed Khushaim affirmed that the MOH prepared early on for the Hajj season through providing all the facilities of the Holy Sites' hospitals with modern technologies.
All the same, he pointed out that the Ministry of Health prepared 25 hospitals distributed to Makkah 7 hospitals, Madinah 9 hospitals, the Holy Site of Mina 4 hospitals, and the Holy Site of Arafat 4 hospitals, as well as the King Abdullah Medical city.
He all the more pointed out that the aggregate clinical capacity of these hospitals is 5250 beds; of which there are 4200 for specialized sections, 500 beds for intensive care units, and 550 beds for emergency sections. Adding in that it has prepared 141 permanent and seasonal health centers in the hajj areas; of which there are 43 health centers in the Holy Capital, 80 health centers in the Holy Sites, 12 health centers in Madinah, as well as 17 emergency centers along The Jamaraat Bridge; and the health centers within Al Haram al-Sharif (Nobel Sanctuary).
He went on adding that "the MOH has provided sixteen thousand blood units and its products of all various groups; in order to stock up the health facilities in the Holy Sites and the Holy Capital. It has also prepared the airstrips related to the MOH, according to the relevant specifications, in the following hospitals: the Hera General Hospital, Al-Noor Hospital, Arafat Hospital, and Mina Emergency Hospital, as well as taking advantage of airstrips in transporting the critical cases. Furthermore, it has tasked as close as 22500 thousand health practitioners and officials of the MOH's staff to serve the hajj performers in Makkah, Madinah, and the Holy Sites, as well as providing the Emergency and Field Medicine Committee with 50 small ambulances, with the aim of boosting up the field medicine services, having them rove the crowd places, and providing the medical services in the areas where the mass gatherings and hajj performers exist."
Moreover, he stressed on the MOH's continuation in relation to closely monitoring and following up the health situation, internally and externally; to the effect that it has taken all the preventive and precautionary measures at all the land, air, and sea entry ports.
Within the same context, he made clear that "the Hajj performers' health situation is highly assuring, may Allah be praised; and no epidemiological diseases have been registered so far. This in turn made him express his optimism that this year's Hajj season will be, Allah willing, epidemic-free as so far, all the health indicators and reportsare auspicious, may Allah be praised."
He further underlined that "the Ministry of Health (MOH) is keen to provide the optimal health and medical services for the Hajj performers who came to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj rites. This is in tandem with the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may Allah protect him, paying attention to providing the highest quality health care for the Hajj performers."
In conclusion, he emphasized that" the various health sectors work under a self-contained health system, upon the directives of the Custodian of the Two Mosques, and HRH the Crown Prince, may Allah protect them, and under common umbrella. That's to say, they all work according to plans and an integrated coordination; in order to make a success of the Hajj season.