RIYADH: Over 19,000 medics of both genders have been deployed in the holy sites and various entry points to the Kingdom to serve the Guests of Allah, a senior Ministry of Health official said on Wednesday. About 12,000 of the medics have been pressed into service in Makkah and over 5,900 in Madina. The country's entry points have over 1,200 medical personnel to cater to the needs of arriving sick pilgrims, the official said. Saud Al-Rafea, Advisor to the Minister of Health and head of the Haj Financial Committee and Work Force, said in a statement Wednesday that the deployed staff include general doctors, consultants, specialists, pharmacists, technicians, nurses, managers and drivers of both sexes and different nationalities (including Saudis.) They include permanent and contracted employees from 22 different medical bodies such as health administrations and King Saud Medical City. Al-Rafea said that 7,567 employees from health administrations were deployed. Most of them, about 5,200, are from Madina Health Administration. The official said some health staff seconded from Makkah and Madina were appointed at entry points including 13 specialist doctors, 124 general doctors, 65 pharmacists, 399 technicians, 259 nurses, 106 managers and 61 drivers and workers. The healthcare staff seconded for Haj in Madina include 178 consultants, 190 specialist doctors, 631 general doctors, 225 pharmacists, 778 technicians, 1,765 nurses, 1,518 managers and 533 workers and drivers. From Makkah, 237 consultants, 716 specialist doctors, 1,736 general doctors, 578 pharmacists, 980 technicians, 4,169 nurses, 2,246 managers and 696 workers and drivers have been deployed to serve the pilgrims. Al-Rafea said those deployed in Makkah include 5,830 Saudi males and 1,232 Saudi females. Non-Saudis numbered 2,438 males and 2,578 females. Those deployed in Madina numbered 3,755 Saudi males and 616 Saudi females. Non-Saudi medical staff seconded to Madina numbered 665 males and 894 females. At entry points Saudi medical staff numbered 982 males and 94 females.
