As Pilgrims Arrive in Makkah, Saudi Arabia Rolls Out Massive Operation to Safeguard Health

Massive health operation for world's largest religious gathering with 111,400 health services already delivered.

• 111,400 medical services delivered in first days
• Tens of thousands of health workers deployed
• 60% hospital bed capacity increase since 2024

MAKKAH, Saudi Arabia, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Arabia has deployed over 50,000 health workers and introduced advanced technologies to protect the health of pilgrims performing Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage that represents one of the world's largest mass gatherings.

The Ministry of Health reports 111,400 medical services have been delivered in the first days of the pilgrimage.

New technologies include drones that deliver medical supplies in just 5 minutes, AI-augmented diagnostics and wearables to monitor vulnerable pilgrims.

"I'm incredibly proud of our healthcare workers who are delivering comprehensive care around the clock. Their dedication has already provided 111,400 medical services since Hajj began and this level of support will continue for anybody that needs it," said His Excellency Fahad bin Abdulrahman AlJalajel, Saudi Minister of Health.

Health infrastructure includes 183 medical facilities, 900 ambulances, and 11 air ambulance helicopters. The operation also includes the Middle East's first WHO-certified Special Medical Disaster Assistance Team on stand-by.

Innovations and upgrades also include ambulance elevators installed at the Jamarat Bridge to transport patients directly to rooftop helipads for evacuation. Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of helicopter landing pads, with six now ensuring rapid evacuation of critical cases across the holy sites.

The Seha Virtual Hospital, the world's largest, connects 224 facilities for remote consultations, new PET-CT scanners provide advanced diagnostics, while robotic surgeries have been launched this year for the first time at King Abdullah Medical City.

Medical teams have performed 232 major surgeries including 18 open-heart operations to date.

To mitigate extreme heat, the Kingdom has planted thousands of trees, installed hundreds of cooling stations and operates the world's largest air conditioning system in the Grand Mosque. The Ministry works with volunteers to distribute umbrellas while promoting multilingual guidance on crowd management, umbrella use, and hydration.

The Ministry noted early signs that these joint efforts and adherence to crowd management plans have contributed to limiting the number of heat exhaustion cases this year, but that it would continue monitoring cases.

The Ministry of Health commended the Royal Commission for Makkah, Ministry of Hajj and security personnel for their coordinated efforts in expanding shaded areas and crowd management to ensure safety and comfort.

The technological innovations deployed with cross-government coordination during Hajj demonstrates how future health solutions can transform public health management at scale.

The unprecedented operation comes as the five-day pilgrimage reaches its peak today on the Day of Arafah as pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2704332/The_Ministry_of_Health_for_the_Kingdom_of_Saudi_Arabia.jpg