Saudi Health Ministry Ready To Attend To Three Million Haj Pilgrims

By Ahmad Shukran Shaharudin MAKKAH, July 18 (Bernama) -- The Saudi Arabian Health Ministry has prepared all facilities and personnel to attend to about three million pilgrims from all over the world throughout the vital rituals of the pilgrimage in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafah. General Director of Health Affairs in the Makkah Region, Dr Wael Hamzah Motair, said the Government of Saudi Arabia was taking the best efforts and the highest level of priority in taking care of the pilgrims as had been requested by King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the custodian of the two holy mosques. "Some of the facilities at this East Arafat Hospital only operate during Masya'ir (key rituals) which is only from 8 Zulhijjah to 13 Zulhijjah (July 20 to 25). This also includes most of the 96 clinics in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat,” he said. He was speaking to a delegation of 11 media editors who were invited by the Saudi Arabian Culture and Information Minister Dr Awwad Bin Saleh Al Awwad to cover the pre-pilgrimage preparation in the Holy Land, at the East Arafat Hospital here. Dr Wael said all the facilities and consultation were free, including medical prescriptions for the pilgrims provided by the Government of Saudi Arabia. He said that even pilgrims with medical conditions and short of medical pills could obtain medicines from the pharmacy for free. Dr Wael said that though the Government of Saudi Arabia, particularly the ministry, had taken the precaution of preparing such facilities and personnel, efforts had been taken in educating and campaigning participating pilgrimage countries to prevent the outbreak of any diseases. "In this particular area, it must not only be our effort to prevent and curb diseases from spreading. We do help give vaccination to pilgrims from certain countries which do not impose the regulation, during their entrance to Saudi Arabia through the seaports and airports,” he added. Dr Wael said 350 ambulances were being provided during this pilgrimage season and 25,000 personnel, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists, would be on duty. They were locals and from other countries as well, such as Syria, Pakistan and Egypt. "However, we cannot simply take them for such duties. We do follow the requirements of the World Health Organisation (WHO), with the credentials and qualifications. As for the Al-Haram region, they must be Muslims,” he said, adding that these personnel were not allowed to perform the Haj in this season. Dr Wael said the highest number of cases, based on last year's experience, was of people suffering from heat stroke and heat exhaustion, and about 800 cases were referred to the hospitals then. The East Arafat Hospital, he said, had a total of 230 beds, sections for isolation cases, a heat stroke department including a cooling area, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a pharmacy and operation theatres. "We treat every patient equally. In cases where pilgrims have to perform the rituals which require them to complete the Haj, we do support and help them with the use of wheelchairs and any other means that are suitable. We do not want them to miss it as this is may be their chance of a lifetime,” he added. The group also visited a clinic in Arafat, the King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC) and the Maternity and Children’s Hospital in the Holy City. The KAMC, a specialised hospital, and the Maternity and Children’s Hospital, dubbed the twin tower hospital, operate daily, and their facilities are of international standard. -- BERNAMA