Makkah, 13 Nov. 2010 (WAM) Dr Abdul Karim Abdullah Al Zarouni, head of the medical team at the UAE Hajj Mission, praised the arrangements made by the Saudi government to provide best world-class healthcare services to the pilgrims.

This came during a speech delivered last night by Al Zarouni on behalf of medical missions of all Islamic countries at a ceremony hosted by the Saudi Health Ministry at Al Noor Hospital in Makkah in honour of the medical missions.

Al Zarouni said in his speech that the UAE official Hajj Mission was in constant coordination with the concerned authorities in Saudi Arabia.

"Please allow me to express appreciation of the medical missions of all Arab and Islamic countries to the efforts of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and particularly the efforts of the Saudi Ministry of Health, in putting together an emergency plan to immediately deal with any unexpected developments in a swift and professional manner," he said.

Dr Al Zarouni highlighted the services offered by the Saudi Ministry of Health, including the deployment of ambulances, and spreading health awareness among pilgrims through brochures written in several languages about the importance of diseases prevention measures.

Dr Talib Al Hujaili, Deputy Director of Makkah Health Department, said that the Saudi Ministry of Health had already made available healthcare facilities to serve pilgrims as they perform their rites. The facilities include 195 health centres 54 in Mina and 46 in Arafat as well as 14 hospitals with a total capacity of 3,500 beds.

Muzamil

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2010.