Health plan for Hajj season: 300,000 practitioners and modern technologies
As part of the extensive preparations to receive pilgrims, Dr. Talal Al-Maliki, CEO of the Taif Health Cluster, revealed details of the comprehensive operational plan for the health sector in the Kingdom during this year's Hajj season. This plan reflects a qualitative leap in healthcare delivery mechanisms, based on the latest medical technologies and advanced administrative systems.
A strategic shift in crowd management
This Hajj season is witnessing the practical implementation of the outcomes of the Health Sector Transformation Program, a cornerstone of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. Dr. Al-Maliki explained that the establishment of the Health Holding Company has ended the era of traditional centralization, shifting operations from directorate management to an integrated "health cluster" system. Currently, five health clusters in the Western Region (Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif) operate as a unified network, receiving logistical and human resource support from 15 health clusters across the Kingdom, thus ensuring rapid response and flexible resource allocation.
Record numbers to ensure the safety of pilgrims
Al-Maliki presented figures that reflect the massive scale of preparedness, noting that a health force of over 300,000 healthcare and administrative personnel has been mobilized to serve the pilgrims. This human resource base is supported by a vast infrastructure that includes:
- A capacity exceeding 40,000 beds in hospitals and health centers.
- A huge ambulance fleet comprising 2,000 ambulances equipped with the latest mobile intensive care technologies.
- A vast network of primary care centers, exceeding 2000 centers, covering all holy sites and entry points.
Field and virtual medicine: a game-changer
In the context of technological advancements, the CEO of the Taif Health Cluster confirmed that this season is witnessing an unprecedented expansion in "field medicine" and "virtual medicine." The new strategy relies on reaching patients before they request assistance by deploying "mobile physician" teams amidst the crowds. These teams are equipped for immediate surgical and emergency intervention. Virtual medicine also plays a crucial role in remotely monitoring critical cases, citing a success story from last season of a pilgrim who suffered a heart attack and was monitored and treated both virtually and in the field until he completed his Hajj rituals safely.
The importance of the event and its regional impact
These preparations are of paramount importance, extending far beyond the local level, as the success of the Hajj health season is a cornerstone of global health security, given the gathering of millions of people from around the world in a specific geographical and temporal space. These stringent measures underscore the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to providing a leading model in mass gathering medicine management and ensuring a season free of epidemics and diseases, thereby enhancing international confidence in the Saudi healthcare system and its ability to manage crises and emergencies efficiently and effectively.
