47 hospitals, health centers in Makkah to serve pilgrims

There are eight hospitals and 39 health centers with a combined capacity of 2,478 beds to extend health services to Umrah pilgrims and the Haram visitors during the holy month of Ramadan, local daily Al-Madina reported quoting the director of health affairs in Makkah, Dr. Wail Bin Hamza Mutair.

He said there are 32 beds inside the Grand Mosque for the emergency services in addition to four health centers.

"We are focusing on the crowded areas and we have six medical teams stationed at the Central Area for rapid intervention to deal with the emergency cases in the Grand Mosque," he said.

Mutair said the health care to the Umrah pilgrims starts on their arrival at the Kingdom's air, sea and land inlets through the health centers and the qualified medical teams.

He said the arrivals will be examined against infectious diseases and will be treated so that the diseases do not spread.

Mutair said Ajyad emergency hospital covers the Central Area from the south while the northern area is covered by Al-Haram emergency hospital. "The two hospitals have 35 intensive care beds and 51 emergency beds," he added.

He said the emergency center No. 1 at King Fahd expansion covers the western side of the Central Area while the Haram emergency center No. 2, which is in the basement of the Grand Mosque, covers it from the east.

Mutair said Ajyad hospital does not have clinics but receives patients at the emergency wards 24 hours a day.

He explained that the eight hospitals which provide treatment to the Umrah pilgrims are: King Abdul Aziz Hospital, King Faisal Hospital, Al-Nur Specialist Hospital, Hira General Hospital, Maternity and Child Hospital, Ibn Sina Hospital and King Abdullah Medical City