The Ministry of Health has reassured citizens, residents and pilgrims that the health situation of the “guests of Allah” (pilgrims) is reassuring, and that it closely follows the application of the epidemiological surveillance program. The Ministry conducts ongoing follow-up on the preventive and curative services provided to pilgrims. The Ministry put it clear that, to date, no epidemic or pandemic cases have been detected among pilgrims. Nor is there any coronavirus cases (MERS-CoV).
The Ministry pointed out that, in line with the gracious patronage of the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, may Allah protect them, has early provided high-quality health services for pilgrims, as has been the case over the past years. Over the period from 1 to 26 Dhul-Qe'dah 1434H, 38 heart cath surgeries for pilgrims in Makkah, and in Madinah for the first time in this year's Hajj season. That is to be added to 189 dialysis sessions, and binoculars interventional operations. The number of birth-giving cases has mounted to 5 cases over the mentioned period.
Estimates of the Ministry have indicated that the number of pilgrims' visits to outpatient clinics have mounted to 761.761, whereas the number of pilgrims who received ambulatory services is 1.271.380, and the number of patients who are still hospitalized is 271. The number of pilgrims who visited health centers is 704. Only two heat exhaustion cases have been detected, and no sunstrokes found out over the same period – thanks be to Allah!
The Ministry has affirmed that it has taken all the preventive and precautionary procedures, and prepared a host of specific curative programs for the service of pilgrims, through an integrated, harmonized web of health facilities spread throughout the Hajj sites. In this spirit, the Ministry has prepared for this Hajj season 25 hospitals, with a total bed capacity of 5.250 beds, in addition to 141 health centers disseminated on the Hajj sites, in addition to 17 emergency centers overlooking Jesr al-Jamarat.
It should be noted that the Ministry, over the past three years, has expanded the scope of specialized medical services it provides for pilgrims; such as cardiac catheterization (heart cath), open-heart surgery, dialysis sessions, and endoscopic devices. Over the last year's Hajj season (1433H), 463 pilgrims have undergone cardiac catheterization, and 35 pilgrims underwent open-heart surgeries, whereas 2.024 pilgrims received dialysis sessions.