The General Directorate for Health Affairs in Madinah on Monday unveiled an integrated plan for this year’s Haj to enable pilgrims perform their religious rituals in a healthy and infection-free environment.

“We have completed the health plan to achieve the best level of performance of health services for pilgrims, workers and health officials, and to provide a system of integrated health services through treatment, preventive and ambulatory programs with state-of-the-art facilities and services offered by competent medics and paramedics,” Khalid Al-Mirghalani, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, told Arab News on Monday.

He added that similar arrangements have also been made in Makkah and other important sites such as Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifa located within the two holy cities.

He said that vaccination against meningitis for workers at the holy sites and people who perform Haj this year has been made mandatory. “We also have adequate stocks of flu tabs for pilgrims who need them,” he added.

“We have also completed arrangements to provide preventive and curative health services for pilgrims and visitors on their entry to the Kingdom via land, air and sea ports, on strategic main roads to and from Madinah, in their places of residence as well as in the squares around the Prophet’s Holy Mosque.”

There are seven hospitals that have 999 beds, including 135 for intensive care and emergencies to serve pilgrims. These hospitals are supported by 18 primary health care centers, including the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Clinic equipped to serve the guests of Allah.

There are three epidemiological surveillance centers at Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Madinah and Prince Abdul Mohsen Bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Yanbu and at the Yanbu port.

In addition to these facilities, Al-Mirghalani said there is a fleet of 25 ambulances to ferry the sick and the injured to the nearest hospitals in case of emergencies. Emergency operations will be carried out in cooperation with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority and the Civil Defense. Arab News