Over half million pilgrims offered Friday prayers at the Prophet's Mosque in Madina. Reports show that around 500,00 pilgrims have left Madina for Makkah with another 750,00 having already arrived in Madina to visit and pray in the Prophet's Mosque. Elaborate security arrangements were put in place around the Prophet's Mosque. Police and Civil Defense personnel managed the pilgrims' movement to and from the mosque. Hamed Hassan Al-Bakri, Director of the Ministry of Haj Branch in Makkah, said that all teams are working on grouping pilgrims to Makkah and holy sites. Al-Bakri said that field teams have been deployed at air, land and sea entry points to help pilgrims complete arrival formalities. He added that new arrival terminal has been constructed this year at a cost of SR7 million. The new terminal assists pilgrims and immigration officers in the completion of arrival procedures in record time. Meanwhile, Ugail Bin Jaman Al-Ghamdi, Director General of Health Affairs in Madina, said the directorate had put all staff and facilities at the service of pilgrims, including standby medical teams providing ambulance and emergency services. Al-Ghamdi said six health centers in Madina and five seasonal health centers at the central area around the Prophet's Mosque had been improved to provide pilgrims with medical services.
