RIYADH: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority has carried out the first air medical evacuation from the Grand Mosque in Makkah after the opening of two new air ambulance helipads.
A patient suffering from chest pain was treated at the Al Haram Emergency Hospital before being rushed by helicopter to King Abdullah Medical City for further treatment, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saudi Arabia recently improved its emergency healthcare response capabilities with the two new helipads in preparation for an influx of pilgrims.
Air ambulances will operate around the clock, providing continuous support in transporting patients to hospitals within minutes.
A new specialist hospital also opened in the Grand Mosque to provide onsite care.
The new facilities will alleviate capacity issues at Islam’s holiest site, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
“Saudi Arabia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the health and wellbeing of pilgrims … we expand services for pilgrims with both scale and speed,” Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel said.
“This initiative ensures that all patients can receive the highest level of care at one of the world’s holiest and most visited sites,” Al-Jalajel said.
“By transferring patients to hospitals based on their specific needs, we continue to improve health outcomes for pilgrims with both scale and speed.”
The helicopters will be able to transport patients to hospitals in the local area and beyond for specialist treatment.
Additional helicopters can be deployed at short notice in busier periods.
Saudi authorities conducted an air ambulance landing drill at the mosque’s eastern runway, ahead of the helipads opening.
The Al-Haram Emergency Hospital is a new specialist medical facility inside the Grand Mosque.
It will have state-of-the-art medical technology and highly trained healthcare professionals, according to the Ministry of Health.
It includes an intensive care unit, a laboratory for conducting medical tests, a radiology department, and an on-site pharmacy.
The hospital also has dedicated areas for critical and rapid emergencies, respiratory emergencies, an emergency observation unit, and an isolation unit for infectious diseases.
