Husain Hazzai and Saeed Al Khotani Okaz/Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised the Kingdom's efforts in combating Corona virus during the Haj season. It lauded the Kingdom's preparedness to provide healthcare services to pilgrims in Haj this year. In its website, WHO said that the Kingdom faces great organizational challenges to provide medical services to more than two million pilgrims. The WHO stated that Haj rituals go back to the seventh century, and the Kingdom has accumulated centuries of experience in this matter. Preparations for Haj begin with lessons learned from the previous Haj season. The number of pilgrims who received treatment during this Haj season were 372,000 pilgrims. All medical treatments are provided free, including costly operations, such as open heart surgeries, heat, burns, and food poisoning. WHO added that the Ministry of Health has prepared 25 hospitals for Haj services that can accommodate 5,250 patients, in addition to 141 health centers in four main Haj areas. The Ministry has also built an emergency hospital in Mina that operates only during Haj, and remain closed through out the year. The Mina hospital has 190 beds, and treats between 10,000-12,000 patients a day. In addition, the Ministry has readied 95 ambulances as mobile intensive care units. Each ambulance has a doctor and a nurse, and is equipped with the latest technology to work in crowded areas, and to transport patients to the hospital, as needed. WHO pointed out that, for the fourth year in a row, the Ministry of Health has invited experts from WHO to monitor, evaluate, and provide technical assistance that might be needed. The Ministry has also intensified its educational and awareness efforts, and has adopted a free telephone number for pilgrims to call for any medical problem. WHO also stated that the Kingdom has a huge experience in dealing with crowds and masses, and this experience is being referenced by other countries. The Ministry distributes educational health brochures in 10 languages, and has intensified its monitoring of incoming pilgrims to guard against possible MERS-CoV cases. Mina hospital was equipped with a new laboratory to expedite tests of any suspected cases.
