More than 300 health specialists are providing round-the-clock health care to pilgrims besides working to contain any epidemic outbreak. The medical teams are working under the Ministry of Health Executive Committee for Preventive Medicine Program which comprises 12 units including an Epidemical Investigation Unit (EIU). Director General of Parasitic and Contagious Diseases Administration Dr. Ra'fat Hakim said: “The EIU will monitor any epidemic among pilgrims and Saudi citizens and has taken thorough precautions. Specialist epidemical teams are stationed at 13 hospitals scattered throughout Makkah, Mina and Arafat. “Each hospital has three internal teams and three mobile field teams. The internal teams follow up the diagnosis of any epidemic case within the hospital. Then the case is checked on continuously,” he added. The mobile field teams will try to prevent any disease outbreak by explaining to citizens and pilgrims how epidemics spread and how they are combated. These field teams have been provided with all necessary medical supplies including vaccines, syringes, preventive medicines. Director of the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Makkah Dr. Waleed Al-Amri, meanwhile, said they are prepared to receive pilgrims requiring gynecological and obstetric care. He said: “Pregnant women might suffer complications like inflammations due to the crowds of pilgrims from different parts of the world.” The Makkah Maternity and Children's Hospital Friday received 20 miscarriage cases and helped seven women deliver babies. These included two foreigners — a Pakistani woman who gave birth to twins (a boy and a girl) and a Nigerian woman who delivered a baby girl. __
