The Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) has declared that the 1433-Hajj season is safe and free from endemic and pandemic diseases, and that pilgrims are healthy.
This was made clear in the press statement read out by His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, in the press conference held at Mina Emergency Hospital.
The statement reads as follows:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Gracious
Emanating from the Ministry's keen interest in preserving pilgrims' health and well-being, and seeking to best incur its responsibility towards pilgrims, and complying with the directions given by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, May Allah protect them, to provide best-quality health services for pilgrims, in an endeavor to enable them to perform the Hajj rites easily, the Ministry of Health has mobilized all human, financial and technological potentials and capabilities for the provision of preventive, curative, ambulatory and health-awareness services.
Based on the foregoing, the Ministry has taken certain precautions, preparations and stances, including:
- Adherence to this year's Hajj Requirements to be met by all pilgrims, and intensifying early epidemiological surveillance at all land, sea and air ports, through 16 health control centers.
- Intensification of epidemiological surveillance teams. In addition to the national medical cadres, the Ministry has benefited from the experience of the WHO's specialists in this area. This included taking samples from patients, and conducting the necessary tests at the MOH's laboratories, besides sending some samples to be tested at international laboratories.
- Establishing and operating East Arafat Hospital, with a bed capacity of 236 beds, including 50 intensive care beds, and 30 emergency beds. It is one of the large-scale health projects established at the direction of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him.
- Developing of curative and therapeutic services, represented by the sections of cardiology, dialysis, digestive endoscopies and intensive care, at the Holy Sites' hospitals in Makkah, Madinah, King Abdullah Medical City (in Makkh); as well as providing such specific services as moving patients to the Mount Arafat. Among the most significant statistics thus far are the following:
- The number of pilgrims received by the MOH facilities: 362.740.
- The number of pilgrims who underwent heart catheterization surgeries: 463, and the number of those who underwent open-heart surgeries: 35.
- The number of pilgrims who underwent dialysis: 2024.
- The number of pilgrims who were moved from the hospitals of Makkah and Madinah to the hospitals of the Holy Sites to complete performing the Hajj rites: 443.
Based on the results of field surveillances, and after reviewing the reports submitted by the Ministry's health committees, the precautions and stances taken by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques have been the cause which led to the result that, Thank Allah, no endemic or pandemic outbreaks have been detected among pilgrims so far.
Consequently, it is a pleasure for me to declare this year's Hajj Season (1433H/2012) free from endemic and pandemic diseases.
However, the Ministry of Health will continue to keep a close eye on the preventive and curative situation, including the laboratory results of communicable and infectious diseases for pilgrims until their return.
I take this opportunity to ask Allah Almighty to protect the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and to confer safety and prosperity on our beloved Kingdom. It doesn't escape my notice, also, to ask Allah to accept pilgrims' pilgrimages, and to bestow health and well being, and to return them back to their homes, safe and sound, with all their pilgrimage accepted, their effort rewarded, and their sins absolved. He listens and responds.
Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings