His Excellency the Minister of Health, Eng. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, has reassured citizens, residents and pilgrims, declaring: "By the grace of Allah, the health situation of pilgrims is good, and no epidemic or pandemic cases have been detected among them so far." In a press conference, Eng. Al-Falih stated that the Ministry of Health (MOH) takes the preventive aspects for pilgrims as one of its top priorities, and keeps abreast of the latest developments and changes in health domain, locally and internationally, in collaboration and coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the international health authorities, such as the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC).
Eng. Al-Falih pointed out that the MOH has accomplished all technical preparations and human resources for the Hajj season; in en endeavor to maintain the health and safety of pilgrims and ensure for them an appropriate, healthy environment. In this spirit, numerous health facilities have been deployed across the Kingdom; so that pilgrims can perform the Hajj rituals easily and conveniently, starting from the main entry points into the Kingdom, and other places all the way to the Holy Sites and Madinah. He added that those health facilities have been well-equipped and supported for all preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, emergency and health-awareness supplies.
Concluding his statement, Eng. Al-Falih highlighted that the MOH has prepared 25 hospitals to serve pilgrims (4 in Arafat, 4 in Mina, 7 in the Holy City of Makkah, and 9 in Madinah; that’s to be added to King Abdullah Medical City), with a total capacity of 5,000 impatient beds at the Holy Sites' hospitals, including 500 IC beds and 550 ER beds. He added that the aforementioned hospitals are further supported by 155 permanent and seasonal health centers, disseminated throughout the Hajj sites as follows: 43 in the Holy City of Makkah, 78 in the Holy Sites (46 in Arafat region, 6 along the pedestrian road in Muzdalifah, and 26 in Mina), and 18 health centers in Madinah. That is to be added to 16 emergency health centers along the Jamarat Bridge, and 3 advanced ambulatory centers in the Meccan Sanctuary. Besides, Eng. Al-Falih mentioned that the MOH has operated 18 medical points at both sides of the Holy Sites train stations (6 in Arafat, 6 in Muzdalifah and 6 in Mina.)