The Health Directorate in Madina is set to enforce its plan on Tuesday to monitor the health of visitors coming into the Kingdom for the holy month of Ramadan. The plan covers 19 medical facilities in Madina including general hospitals, health centers and seasonal control centers. These centers will provide ambulatory, preventative and awareness services to visitors and Umrah performers. Dr. Abdullah Al-Taifi, Director General of the Directorate of Health Affairs in Madina, said his administration will scan all visitors coming by land, air and sea. He said this is a preventative measure meant to stop the transmission of communicable diseases. “The plan to be implemented during Ramadan has been designed to achieve the highest level of medical services for citizens, expatriates and visitors to the Prophet's Mosque. These integrated services include therapeutic, ambulatory and preventative services.” He said the health centers chosen for the services are located on the seasonal Bab Jibreel, Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz Airport, Prince Abdul Mohsin Bin Abdul Aziz Airport, Yanbu Commercial Seaport and pilgrims' housing complexes. Al-Taifi said the hospitals assigned in Ramadan to provide emergency services include King Fahd Hospital in Uhud, Al-Meeqat General Hospital, Khaibar General Hospital, Yanbu General Hospital, Al-Hinakiah and Al-Hamna hospitals. He said the directorate has assigned a team of doctors at all the air, land and sea checkpoints leading to Madina to make sure that incoming visitors and Umrah pilgrims are inoculated against meningitis. Doctors will be available to vaccinate visitors with the meningitis vaccine if they have not been inoculated back home. Al-Taifi said medical teams will conduct strict checks on all incoming Umrah performers and visitors for epidemic diseases, so that any cases can be dealt with immediately. Umrah pilgrims and visitors will be monitored with thermal cameras to ensure they are free from swine flu. Apart from this, the plan also covers the inspection of all restaurants that serve food to pilgrims, to ensure adherence to hygienic standards. Hundreds of teams have been tasked with spraying insecticides and pesticides in all areas where pilgrims gather to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. He said the directorate has provided hospitals and health centers with brand new ambulances and highly trained paramedic teams to deal with any emergency.
