In the framework of the Ministry of National Guard – Health Affairs preparations for Hajj 2016, represented by King Abdulaziz Medical City - Jeddah, and in collaboration with the Department of Infection Prevention and Control, the 6th Pre-Hajj Training Course for Health Workers (doctors, nurses and technicians) was held.
The training session was commenced by the Hajj Committee Vice chairman Dr. Saleh Bafageer, in which he covered the preparations of MNG-HA and the guidelines for those covering during the Hajj season. After that, Deputy Executive Director of the Department of Infection Prevention and Control and infectious diseases consultant, Dr. Majid Al Shamrani gave a presentation about infection prevention and control program to be carried out in in Mina field hospital. This was followed by a number of lectures on the importance of infection control during the Hajj season and the preventive measures taken to avoid outbreaks such as MERS-CoV and VHFs, in addition to lectures regarding epidemiological investigation of food poisoning cases and crowd control. The training session was concluded by a number of workshops covering CPR, First Aid, infectious diseases forms in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and health problems associated with high temperature exposure.
In addition, the Department of Infection Prevention and Control held a meningitis vaccination campaign targeting military units officers and personnel involved in the Hajj season taskforce in Jeddah, Makkah and Taief. The vaccination campaign also covered the in-patients, companions and employees of the National Guard in clinics such as the staff clinic, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), and the Primary Health Care clinics of the MNG-HA in the western region in order to vaccinate any employee or staff members heading to Hajj or assigned to the Hajj taskforce of pilgrimage.
It should be noted that the MNG-HA’s Mina field hospital has been fully equipped with the latest medical equipment and all clinical supplies and shall work round-the-clock, and consists of two main in-patient sections [Males and Females]. It also includes many specialized clinics and various support services such as dental and OBG-YN clinics in addition to a small fully equipped operating room for minor surgeries, a reception, and administrative offices. The support services includes an integrated laboratory, an X-ray room, a pharmacy and a 208 m2 staff housing.. Moreover, fully integrated health camps were set up to provide medical services in Arafat and Muzdalifah, with full cooperation with the Ministry of Health and medical Hajj convoys in holy sites.
Early this season, MNG-HA completed setting up Mina’s field hospital that had been designed from fireproof and heat resistant fiberglass which accommodates the climatic conditions. The hospital accommodates 40 fully equipped beds for the treatment of emergency cases and treat sunstroke, as well as two rooms for intensive care. The hospital also includes outpatient clinics in various medical specialties and 2 pharmacies, one for men and another for women, as well as a medical laboratory in collaboration with the King Abdulaziz Medical City – Jeddah, in addition to a highly trained response team. The hospital occupies 256 m2 and consists of two main in-patient sections; male and female, along with various specialized clinics, support services, dental , obstetrics and gynecology clinics. In addition, it includes a small fully equipped operating room for minor surgeries, a reception, and administrative offices. The support services includes an integrated laboratory, an X-ray room, a pharmacy and a 208 m2 staff housing. Additionally, umbrellas will be provided and distributed inside the hospital and electricity back-up generators were added.
Equally important, a camp was set up in Arafat for therapeutic and emergency services in addition mini clinics in Muzdalifah and the rest of the holy sites. Those mobile hospitals in all the Holy Sites, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah are run by MNG-HA’s team of doctors, pharmacists, technicians and administrators, all of whom are Saudi highly trained cadres that will be working around the clock to serve the pilgrims. In addition, the MNG-HA facilities, Ministry of Health care facilities, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, and the Department of Civil Defense medical evacuation planes shall fully cooperate with one another in order to provide optimum health services for all pilgrims, particularly when it comes to the medical evacuation.