Saudi Arabia has significantly raised healthcare arrangements, particularly in the port city of Jeddah and the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, in preparation for this month’s annual Hajj pilgrimage, which is expected to draw about two million visitors to the kingdom.

Hajj will officially commence on August 19 and end on August 24, but 881,778 pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia as on August 6, according to figures provided by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The annual influx of pilgrims from around the world creates enormous health concerns for both visitors and local residents.

With the start of Hajj just days away, officials from numerous ministries and departments within the Saudi government, including the Ministry of Health, are making the rounds to ensure that all Hajj procedures and facilities designed to facilitate the expected arrival of about two million pilgrims are in place and ready to welcome Muslims from across the globe, according to a press release by the Center for International Communication (CIC), Ministry of Media, Saudi Arabia.

Eleven hospitals have been set up to provide services specifically to pilgrims while other hospitals have made preparations for emergency cases, should the need arise. All hospitals are supported by 13 primary seasonal healthcare centers, the press release stated.

The Jeddah Health Affairs department has allocated 115 medical doctors, technicians and administrators to work in the Health Control Center at Jeddah Islamic Port through which many pilgrims will arrive. In addition to verifying health certificates of pilgrims arriving via the port, medicine and required vaccines will also be available, the release added.

Saudi Vice Minister of Health Hamad bin Mohammad Al-Dowaila recently paid visits to several health facilities in Jeddah and Mecca to check on their readiness to deal with the rush of pilgrims in the coming days.

He also paid a visit to Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport’s pilgrim city, where he was briefed on preparations and received a detailed account of the various departments represented in the center and the services they provide. Al-Dowaila was also briefed about the work involved in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.

“The Ministry of Health’s focus is on preventive measures. The Ministry follows global health issues through World Health Organization (WHO) and international health agencies in order to prepare most efficiently and effectively to minimize health risks,” the press release said.

However, officials are satisfied that no epidemic or quarantine diseases have been detected so far.

In a related development, an Indian woman became the first pilgrim to deliver a baby in the Muslim holy city of Mecca this year. Indian national Shahin Karban, 21, gave birth to a baby girl at Mecca's Maternity and Child Hospital on Tuesday.

"I am so happy that I came to Mecca to perform Hajj carrying my baby. I thank God that I could give birth here. I am grateful to the health authorities in Mecca and to the hospital management for taking utmost care of me,” she said.

Nine women pilgrims of different nationalities delivered babies during Hajj last year, Anas Saddayo, director of the Maternity and Child Hospital was quoted in local media reports as saying.

He said that the hospital had provided “all required facilities for the guests… and extended high-quality services of international standards to the pilgrims, visitors and residents.”

(Cover: Muslim Hajj pilgrims walk around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 10, 2018. /VCG Photo)