MECCA – The government of Saudi Arabia has upgraded emergency health services at Islam’s holiest site as the Hajj season nears.
To administer medical care to the pilgrims at the earliest, the government has constructed helipad at the Masjid al-Haram and the first air medical evacuation was carried out recently.
The Saudi Red Crescent Authority carried out the air medical evacuation as the authorities made two new air ambulance helipads fully functional.
In the first evacuation, a pilgrim suffering from chest pain was treated at the Al Haram Emergency Hospital after he was taken by a helicopter to King Abdullah Medical City for medical aid.
The Saudi Ministry of Health said in a statement that the new facilities will alleviate capacity issues at the Grand Mosque.
As part of the health services, the helicopters at the Grand Mosque will be able to transport patients to hospitals in the local area and beyond for specialist treatment. The authorities have also ensured that extra helicopters can also be stationed at short notice during influx of pilgrims.
The arrangements come at a time when the kingdom is finalizing arrangements for the annual Hajj for which the country welcomes over 2 million pilgrims from across the world. The emergency medical services are being deployed a year after over 1300 pilgrims died during the last Hajj due to excessive heat though the casualties did not take place at the Grand Mosque.
For this year’s Hajj, the government has set the minimum age at 15 for those who want to perform Hajj. The government has been cautious regarding the Umrah pilgrims also and has advised them to perform one Umrah during the last ten days of holy month of Ramazan to avoid congestion.
