His Excellency the Minister of Health, Eng. Khalid Al-Falih highlighted that the Saudi government, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Deputy Crown Prince, may Allah protect them, is so keen to provide the best health services and healthcare for all pilgrims, since their arrival to the Kingdom and until their departure to their countries safely.
This came during Al-Falih’s meeting today, Wednesday, afternoon at his ministerial office in Jeddah, with the Deputy Prime Minister of the State of Mauritius and his accompanying delegation. He underscored that the Ministry of Health (MOH), as usual, has made early preparations for the Hajj season, as many hospitals and health centers have been prepared and supported with human cadres of different medical and administrative specialties. “The MOH has also secured all hospitals’ requirements of modern medical devices and techniques,” he said, confirming that the MOH has dealt professionally with the stampede incident in Mina and thanks to Allah managed to save the lives of hundreds of pilgrims and provided emergency and therapeutic services for them on the ground, and during their hospitalization at the ministry's hospitals.
He pointed out that nearly 1,600 injured were admitted to hospitals following the stampede incident. Of all, almost 90% of the injured left hospitals, while 120 patients are still being hospitalized at Makkah and Jeddah hospitals and receiving necessary medical care.
On his part, the Mauritian Deputy Premier Mr. Shawkat Ali Soodhun expressed his government’s solidarity with the Saudi counterpart, which spares no effort to serve Islam and Muslims, including the great services the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has prepared for the Guests of Allah, confirming his support to the government and peoples of the Kingdom. He considered the stampede incident as utterly a matter of fate and extended his thanks and gratitude to the Kingdom's government and the MOH for their great efforts to serve the pilgrims.
The meeting was attended from the Mauritian side by the Director of the Hajj Mission Mr. Badola Muhammad Tawaher and from the Saudi side by the Chairman of Hajj Committee Dr. Emad Al-Jahdali, the Director-General of Makkah Health Affairs Dr. Mustafa Baljon, the Supervisor-General of Hajj and Umrah General Department Dr. Hussain Al-Ghannam and the Advisor and Supervisor-General of the Minister's Office Mr. Muhammad Al-Thumairi.