His Excellency the Minister of Health, Eng. Khalid AbdulAziz Al-Falih has launched the field medicine fleet today, in Muaisam, Mina, in presence of His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Health, Hama Al-Duweila', the Head of the Hajj Preparatory Committees, Dr. Emad Al-Jahadli, and a number of Hajj Committees' heads.
Al-Falih expressed his appreciation and admiration of the efforts exerted in this year's Hajj preparations to serve pilgrims. He gave a speech to the healthcare manpower participating in Hajj work, and urged them to strive to offer top healthcare to pilgrims and swift response in case of emergencies. He maintained that they perform one of the noblest jobs, considering field medicine as a frontline, with 180 small clinics in the Holy Sites dealing with cases on the spot, and transfer those who need further treatment to the nearest hospital or other concerned health institutions. Al-Falih noted that it's unprecedented for the field medicine specialists to serve 2mn pilgrims of different nationalities on the spot, at the same time.
For his part, the Director-General of Health Emergency, Head of Emergency of Field Medicine Committee, Dr. Tariq Al-‘Arnous explained that field teams' work starts on the Tarwiyah Day (8th Dhul-AlHijja). He noted that MOH prepared 100 highly-equipped small ambulances, ready with supplies, highly-qualified medical and technical cadres, which are specialized in dealing with mass gathering events. In addition, 75 large ambulances (dubbed: Sanad) were provided to help dealing with cases on the spot, taking pressure off hospitals in the Holy Sites.
Al-'Arnous proclaimed, "MOH allocated 30 new small ambulances to participate in this year's Hajj work, to cover all pilgrims' areas and transfer cases to hospitals as needed."
Dr. Al-'Arnous maintained that the Emergency and Field Medicine committee prepared for this year's Hajj by upgrading the Hajj medical evacuation plan, in concert with the Civil Defence General Directorate, within the general Hajj civil defence plan, which covers disaster and accident risk management. Additionally, the committee prepared and ensured the readiness of helipads at 6 hospitals, including: Arafat General Hospital, Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Hira' General Hospital, Mina Emergency Hospital, East Arafat Hospital, and King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC). The committee made sure to conduct evacuation stimulations, and operate medical facilities along the 18 Holy Sites train stations.
According to Al-'Arnous, the total manpower working in field medicine teams amounts to 830 members (doctors, technicians, and nurses), 605 members of whom cover the Holy Sites.
He noted that the committee focuses on covering the most crowded areas such as, Namira Mosque and Jabal Al-Rahma, which has been covered with 24 teams for fear of falling cases, which occur when some pilgrims insist to climb the mountain. Al-'Arnous reiterated the collaboration amongst all bodies participating in this year's Hajj field work, chief among them are the Civil Defence General Directorate, the Traffic Authority, and the Red Crescent Authority.
On the other hand, Al-Falih made an inspection tour to the Mina's hospitals and a number of health centers, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Health, the Director-General of Makkh Health Affairs, Dr. Mostafa Jamil Balgoun, and a number of heads of Hajj committees.
The tour included Mina Al-Wadi Hospital, Min Al-Jisr Hospital, and Mina Al-Share' Al-Jadid Hospital. The Minister and his company inspected sunstroke special rooms, ERs, isolation rooms in ICU. He listened to a detailed presentation about each of the hospitals and the related development projects from directors of the health facilities.
Dr. Balgoun stated that the purpose of the tour is to inspect the health facilities' readiness level to receive pilgrims, indicating that the Minister makes sure that health facilities are ready to receive patients and those who need medical attention during Hajj season. All of the Holy Sites' health facilities have been provided with funds and medical supplies from the Supply Department at Makkah Health Affairs, so that all services would be available to pilgrims. The Minister also has been following up on the development projects carried out this year at hospitals and health centers.