Healthcare During the Hajj Season

Healthcare during the Hajj season refers to the services provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to pilgrims, coordinated between the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Health. These services aim to maintain the health of pilgrims during their stay in the holy land and their performance of the rituals. They include medical and therapeutic services, raising health awareness, and enhancing health safety.

The Kingdom has given special importance to the Grand Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah and the Prophet's Mosque in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and has directed the mobilization of resources and facilities to serve the pilgrims, deploying over twenty-five hospitals, 156 health centers, 180 ambulances, sixteen emergency centers, and thirty thousand medical personnel to ensure healthcare for pilgrims. Furthermore, the kingdom has developed a strategy to enhance the pilgrimage and Umrah system through the launch of the "Pilgrim Experience Program," aiming to improve the services provided and ensure care for the pilgrims.

The Hajj season is characterized by congestion due to the influx of pilgrims from all around the world to a specific place and time, which increases the importance of adhering to health regulations and issuing instructions to prevent the pilgrims from contracting infectious diseases during the rituals.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah coordinates with the Ministry of Health to ensure the health of the pilgrims by requiring all offices dealing with pilgrims, companies, and tourism agencies organizing the arrival of foreign pilgrims to adhere to the instructions issued by the Ministry of Health, especially regarding obtaining vaccinations and medical vaccines for epidemic diseases. Efforts are also made to create electronic health records for pilgrims to provide necessary care during their stay in the Kingdom for performing Hajj, and to take all precautionary measures to ensure immediate healthcare for the pilgrim.

The Ministry of Health issues a number of tips and guidelines for the safety of pilgrims and publishes a health guide for pilgrims to educate them on everything they need for a healthy Hajj journey. It recommends wearing loose cotton clothes, avoiding going out during noon, using an umbrella or sunblock to protect against the sun's rays, not sharing personal items, and ensuring adequate fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Additionally, it provides health advice for pilgrims with heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, pregnancy, and gestational diabetes, as well as guidance on dealing with health symptoms such as fatigue and coughing. The emergency health hotline number 937 is designated for any health emergencies.

Those intending to perform Hajj are required to receive the Meningococcal quadrivalent conjugate vaccine (ACYW), along with presenting a valid vaccination certificate confirming receipt of the vaccine at least ten days before arriving in the Hajj and Umrah areas. This requirement also applies to pilgrims from countries where polio and yellow fever are prevalent. Pilgrims were required to present a negative COVID-19 test result, obtained from a sample taken within seventy-two hours prior to their arrival in Makkah al-Mukarramah during the Hajj season of 2022.

The Ministry of Health advises pilgrims to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine at least ten days before their arrival in the Kingdom, especially for pregnant women, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.