Saudi authorities have set up additional health centers along highways leading to Makkah and Madinah to serve pilgrims, the Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday.
Dr. Khaled Al-Mirghalani, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, also said that all hospitals in Taif province have been put on round-the-clock alert to meet possible emergencies during the Haj season.
“Ten health centers have been set up on the Taif-Makkah highway by the General Directorate of Health Affairs in Taif on the instruction of Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who is keen on providing the best health-care services to both local and foreign pilgrims,” Al-Mirghalani said.
He added that the ministry has set up more health centers along roads that lead to Makkah and Madinah to serve the guests of God.
He said around 3,000 health officials, including medics and paramedics, have been deployed to treat ill pilgrims.
The health control center in Taif, which operates on a 24-hour basis, has communication links with the Red Crescent to deal with emergencies. The Red Crescent operates a large fleet of ambulances to ferry patients to nearby hospitals and clinics.
The 10 centers in Taif include four ambulance posts in Dholu, Radwan, Otaifi and at the Haj Terminal; three on the southern highway at Gaya, Sheqsan and Ser; and three at the Miqat points at Wadi Maharam and on the Sayil highway to Makkah.
“All government and private hospitals in Taif have been put on a 24-hour alert and are ready for any emergencies during the season,” Al-Mirghalani said, adding that government hospitals and health centers have been supplied with an adequate stock of medicines to deal with emergencies.
“We will also deploy mobile health units to move with the crowds from Makkah to Mina,” he said.
Meanwhile, Haj operators from Asian countries have been asked to go for the stoning ritual at the Jamrat at their allotted times. The request was made at a meeting of tawafa organizations in Makkah on Monday night.
Arab News