RIYADH — The Ministry of Health has revealed that its hospitals and health centers in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites have made available specialized services for pilgrims free of charge during this year's Haj season. The ministry said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency that the number of pilgrims who received treatment in hospitals and health centers since Dhul Qada 1 (July 4) until Dhul Hijjah 20 (Aug. 21) reached 649,690 pilgrims. The ministry performed 40 open-heart surgeries, 1,140 catheterization, 3,328 dialysis and 151 endoscopic operations. As many as 6,034 pilgrims were admitted to hospitals and 14 childbirths were registered. More than 1.69 pilgrims have benefited from preventive and ambulatory services in health outlets arranged by the ministry this year. The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with a number of government agencies, also participated in Makkah Road Initiative, in which preventive measures were initiated in pilgrims' countries before coming over to the Kingdom. "This initiative has made qualitative leap in fulfilling health requirements, with the percentage of vaccination for meningitis and influenza taken by the pilgrims benefiting from Makkah Road reached 100 for the first time," the ministry said. The number of participants in serving pilgrims this year reached 30,000 employees of the Ministry of Health, while 25 hospitals were ready in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites, with a total capacity of 5,000 beds. The ministry also provided 142 primary care centers and more than 140 mobile clinics at emergency centers of Jamarat Bridge and medical outlets at Mashair Metro Train. For the first time this year, the ministry launched the robot technology for medical consultations, which allows any hospital in Mina to have access to consultants in micro specialties remotely. It also provided translation of 120 languages in hospitals and primary care centers, as well as direct translation through call center number 937. Similarly, electronic medical file system has been introduced in as many as 55 primary care centers and all hospitals at the holy sites, the ministry statement added.
