Director General of Hospitals at the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Chairman of the Hajj Technical Supervision Committee Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Hamed Al-Ghamdi explained that the MOH has issued a special booklet on the common diseases during this year’s Hajj to be distributed to the medical teams who are honored to serve the Guests of Allah. He said that the MOH has added in this booklet a special part about the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome "MERS", the hemorrhagic fever (Ebola), the heat exhaustion and heat stokes.
Dr. Al-Ghamdi revealed that intensified training courses were provided for all health practitioners this year with the aim of ensuring high quality health services for pilgrims. He added that a training program has been developed for the visiting workforce during Hajj, including a number of training courses on Advanced Trauma Life Support "ATLS", Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support "ACLS", Fundamental Critical Care Support "FCCS" and Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN).
Dr. Al-Ghamdi explained that the training program for those assigned to serve at the Holy Sites' health centers during Hajj has been finalized and implemented in 6 regions prior to the beginning of the Hajj season, pointing out that the ministry has approved allocating 12 hours per course for continuing medical education, as well as launching a training program for those assigned to work at the hospitals in Mina and Arafat, to be implemented during the Hajj season. He went on to say that a training course will be held at each of the Holy Sites’ eight hospitals during the period Dhul Hijjah 3rd-5th, 1435H, adding that 19 hours were allocated per course for continuing medical education.
He pointed out that the courses would be held in each hospital separately to make it easy for the participants, who will not be forced to move to places other than the hospitals they are assigned to work in, and to benefit the largest possible number of health practitioners. He added that the courses target doctors, nurses and technicians working in hospitals at the holy sites, and will be held within few days.
Dr. Al-Ghamdi noted that the committee has finalized all preparations for this year (1435H) Hajj season, through the distribution of tasks to members of the committee and periodic follow-up of the committee progress of work, in addition to distribution of the workforce to hospitals and health centers in the holy sites as per the work plan and the need of each hospital and health center.
He underlined that all tasks and work procedures related to the Hajj Technical Supervision Committee were updated.
Dr. Al-Ghamdi said, "Coordination is underway to pay field visits to the hospitals and health centers in Makkah, holy sites and Madinah to ensure the completion of the preparations for the Hajj season."
He added that water spray fans have been provided for hospitals to treat cases of sun strokes and heat exhaustion, noting that 80-100 fans will be distributed to the centers for using them in cases of sunstrokes, in addition to what have been approved for hospitals.
It is noteworthy that the MOH has prepared many hospitals in Arafat, Mina and Madinah in addition to King Abduallah Medical City for serving the Guests of Allah during this year’s Hajj season. He added that the number of inpatient beds in the hospitals of the Hajj area amounts to 5250 ones: 4200 beds in the specialized sections, 500 beds in the intensive care units, 550 beds in emergency sections. These hospitals are backed up with 141 permanent and seasonal health centers in the Hajj areas: 43 health centers in the Holy Capital, 80 health centers in the Holy Sites: 46 in Arafat, six along the Muzdalifah walkway, and 28 in Mina; 12 health centers in Madinah.