The Head of the Hajj Nutrition Committee of the Ministry of Health (MOH), Mr. Mashari Aldakhil emphasized the MOH's keenness on providing the nutrition services for the seconded staff and the inpatients in conformity to the highest specifications and quality, overseen by nutrition specialists, and through ten venues within the hospitals of the Holy Sites.
He went on to point out that 15 thousand meals are delivered daily through various venues in both the Holy Sites of Mina and Arafat.
This was taken place through implementing considered, remarkable timeline launched by ad hoc committee supervising the nutrition conditions of the Hajj season.
The committee is made up of highly seasoned members in order to carry out nutrition-related work in the cooking venues.
He also unveiled that the Ministry of Health (MOH) provides tube feedings for the patients detained in hospitals, especially those detained in the intensive care unit.
To that effect, more than ten types of this feeding method were secured, together with keeping a close eye on the feeding health condition of those detained patients; with the aim of delivering appropriate meals benefitting health.
Within the same vein, he added that the venues were equipped with the latest equipment and tools, aiming to prepare and cook meals in a nutritionally healthy, secure way.
He also made clear that the committee's plan is annually improved on after the Committee has assessed the previous years of the Hajj seasons; in order to avoid any downsides, as well as recruiting the qualified, specialized workforce at nutrition departments.
He also noted that 60 nutrition specialists and technicians were appointed to oversee work and submit daily technical reports for the Nutrition Committee; in order to put its role into effect with regard to addressing negatives and insufficiencies on a regular basis.
He drew the attention to the fact that the nutrition services are delivered by qualified, experienced, and first-class caterers, to the effect that nutrition is provided in the health facilities in line with terms, specifications, and Hajj-related brochure.
They are to start as of 10/11 till the end of the Hajj events. All the more, the nutrition services are to be delivered by 510 medically-examined nutrition workers holding heath certificates.
They further are to undergo medical tests at the Makkah Health Affairs Directorate, and attend a two-day training course on applying the health requirements, food circulation security, combatting insects, and public cleanliness basics.
Meanwhile, he remarked that "delivering meals in hospitals is to start on 1/12 for all the seconded staff and the health professionals tasked with jobs within the hospitals of the Holy Sites.
Also, the patients' meal lists are prepared the movement the illness casesare received and detained in hospitals, along with diversifying the meals provided."
All the same, he affirmed that the Nutrition Committee carried out awareness and nutritional health education programs through handing out educational brochures on the healthy diet and the way calories are calculated according to length and weight.
He went on to point out that activities of the nutrition departments and venues are monitored with 75 surveillance cameras' with the aim of maintaining the safety of the food circulated, along with the specialists' continuous follow-up.
This is accompanied with hospital-related nutrition services all day long, such as providing potable water and hot beverages.
He concluded his remarks adding that in this year's Hajj season 1434h, the Nutrition Committee conducted a two-day training course on applying the health requirements of the nutrition workforce in the hospitals of the Holy Sites.
The course touched upon drawing on the practical application along with theoretical lectures in relation to the way the safety of the food prepared for cooking is implemented and its contamination-related risks, the worker's hygiene, means of cleaning and disinfecting, and germ-related risks.
On the other hand, the Nutrition Committee provided a host of nutritional tips for the Hajj performers and the Hajj workforce through posters and brochures distributed within the hospitals.
They include the correct nutritional behaviors and way of identifying a person's ideal weight.
It further recommended, during the Hajj season, slowly eating meals, along with proper chewing, stressing on the significance of saying grace: "In the name Of Allah, the most compassionate, the most merciful" when having meals; to benefit from the meals they have to the maximum.
Similarly, the nutritional tips urged on always getting started with having salad at the beginning of each meal, with the necessity of having a great deal of water and fluids; with no less than eight cups daily.
Further, the tips included stressing on having meals on time, and not neglecting having them, especially the breakfast meal. They also shed light on the importance of regular exercise as it is instrumental in maintaining heath.
The Nutrition Committee went on stressing on cutting back on fizzy and energy beverages, and replacing them with natural juices, keeping away from fried food items and fast food meals, and replacing them with home-cooked healthy food items, together with stopping having animal-derived oils and fats such as butter and fat; and substituting them for vegetable oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil, in moderate amounts.