Pilgrims circumambulating the Holy Ka'ba. Health authorities have geared up to provide assistance to the nearly four million Umrah pilgrims expected to converge on the city this Ramadan. — Archives Five health centers at the Grand Mosque will operate round-the-clock There are three ambulance centers at the Grand Mosque There are 29 permanent primary healthcare centers in Makkah All Makkah hospitals have been prepared to work at full capacity in Ramadan MAKKAH – The General Health Directorate in Makkah has worked out an integrated plan to provide comprehensive health services to the expected four million Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan, said Dr. Khaled Bin Obaid Zafr, Director of Health Affairs in Makkah. The services will be provided by all the health sectors in Makkah including hospitals and primary healthcare centers. Dr. Zafr said the five health centers at the Grand Mosque will operate round-the-clock to provide first aid, primary healthcare and ambulance services for emergency cases. More serious cases will be referred to the general hospitals in Makkah via the ambulances stationed in Haram courtyards. There are three ambulance centers at the Grand Mosque fully equipped to provide first aid services and emergency services for those who are injured because of congestion or suffer from heat exhaustion. He emphasized that all these centers have specialized medical staff, technicians, nurses and medical supplies and includes separate sections for men and women. They are operational all day. Added to this, there are 29 permanent primary healthcare centers in Makkah. He said the directorate has employed extra doctors, nurses and technicians to meet the growing need for medical services during Ramadan. All the hospitals in Makkah have been prepared to work at full capacity in Ramadan, including the intensive care units at King Abdul Aziz, Al-Zahir, Hera, Al-Taneem and Ibn Sina hospitals.
