His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, has chaired at his office today noon the meeting of representatives of the health sectors participating in Hajj. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Health for Planning and Development, and Head of the Preparatory Hajj Committees, Dr. Mohammad Khoshaim. The meeting comes in implementation of the directives of His Royal Highness, Prince Muhammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Minister of Interior and head of the Hajj Supreme Committee, stressing on the importance of the strenuous and integrated efforts of all health sectors participating in the pilgrimage; in order to provide the distinguished health services and health care to the pilgrims.
Within the same vein, the meeting reviewed the Ministry's work plan, discussing the developments and changes, and coordinating the efforts, in a manner that ensures the provision of distinguished health services to the pilgrims, as well as focusing on the unification of information. Also, it affirmed that there should be a coordinator in each sector, and be linked directly to the Information Center at the Ministry of Health (MOH), in addition to underscoring the importance of participation of the health sector with its expertise in the important and accurate specialties such as IC, cardiac surgery and endoscopy.
Furthermore, the participants agreed on the importance of finding the best ways of evacuation in the congested places, developing an appropriate plan for the evacuation of patients, the distribution of the medical teams on the train stations at the Holy Sites, and linking all the information and statistics with MOH control room.
Following the meeting, the Minister of Health has declared that health preparations for every Hajj season starts since the end of the previous season. Moreover, he pointed out that the Ministry has prepared 25 hospitals disseminated all over the following sites; 7 hospitals in Makkah, 9 Hospitals in Madinah, 4 Hospitals in Mina, and 4 hospitals in Arafat; that is to be added to King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC).
Over and above, Dr. Al-Rabeeah underlined that the total bed capacity of these hospitals amounted 5.250 beds, including 4.200 beds for the specialized sections, 500 beds intensive in the ICUs and 550 beds in the emergency departments, in addition to 141 equipped permanent and seasonal health facilities in Hajj Sites. These facilities comprise 43 health centers in the Holy Capital of Makkah, 80 centers in the Holy Sites, 15 centers in Madinah, and 17 emergency centers at “Al-Jamarat Bridge” and health centers inside the Meccan Holy Mosque.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah went on adding that the Ministry has provided 16.000 units of blood and blood products of all blood groups; in order to provide the health facilities in the Holy Sites and Makkah. Also, the Ministry has prepared its airstrips, in accordance with the recognized specifications, allocated in the following hospitals: Hera, Al-Noor, Arafat and Mina Emergency, as well as taking advantage of airstrips for the transfer of critical cases. Furthermore, MOH has assigned 22.500 health practitioners and administrative staff to serve the pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and the Holy Sites. That is to be added to 50 small ambulances supplied to the Emergency and Field Medicine Committee; in order to enhance the medical field services, by means of roaming all around the congested areas to provide the medical services in places where the crowds and pilgrims are.