Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, commended Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah on Saturday for the excellent health services that contributed to a successful Haj free of major problems.
“We thank you for your excellent efforts during the Haj season which contributed to the achievement of this accomplishment,” Prince Sultan said in a communication to Al-Rabeeah. The prince also congratulated Ministry of Health officials.
In response, Al-Rabeeah thanked the Kingdom’s leadership for the cooperation and opportunity to serve the guests of Allah. He added that the Ministry of Health this year served some 760,000 pilgrims through 24 hospitals in Makkah and Madinah.
“There were 3,700 beds in these hospitals… they were supported by another 137 health centers to cater to the health needs of pilgrims,” he said, adding that there were 145 ambulances at hand.
Surgeons also successfully performed 15 open-heart surgeries during Haj and 222 pilgrims were treated with cardiac catheterizations. “On Arafat Day, we were able to take 364 invalid pilgrims to Arafat which helped the sick pilgrims perform their Haj rituals,” he said.
Earlier, in a statement made during Haj, Al-Rabeeah said, “This is one of the big fruits of the constant directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to provide the best possible health care services to the guests of Allah, pilgrims and visitors to His sacred house in Makkah.”
Al-Rabeeah said the success of Haj was based on reports received from various health committees, including statistical data and other relevant information pertaining to precautionary measures taken by the Ministry of Health. He said a strict surveillance process at all of the Kingdom’s ports of entry proved effective in preventing entry of infectious diseases into the Kingdom and that a remote digital monitoring cameras at all health care facilities helped in monitoring any potential outbreaks.
“In addition to all that there was the involvement of King Abdullah Medical City this year in providing fourth level health care services to pilgrims such as complex cardiac treatment and surgery in addition to other types of very specialized and rare medical services,” he said.
MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN
Arab News