ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government began a phased process to operationalize 35 modern clinics in Makkah and Madinah on Sunday, with DG Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro vowing that Islamabad would fulfill the medical needs of its pilgrims via the state-of-the-art facilities.
Thousands of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the annual Islamic pilgrimage since it began last week. Pakistan is expected to send over 179,000 pilgrims for Hajj this year.
Pakistan establishes dispensaries and clinics every year in Saudi Arabia as it begins Hajj operations in the Kingdom to tend to its citizens’ medical needs. This year, the government announced it would set up 35 state-of-the-art clinics in Makkah and Madinah to provide comprehensive health facilities to Pakistani pilgrims.
“All of the facilities are here,” Soomro told reporters in Makkah during a visit to a clinic. “We hope that Hajj pilgrims won’t face any pain during this Hajj and all of their medical needs will be fulfilled from here.”
He said Pakistan has set up 35 dispensaries in Makkah and two dispensaries in the Markaziyah area in Madinah. He said there were only two dispensaries in Markaziyah as pilgrims frequently move from that place to other areas during Hajj.
Soomro said there were three to four ambulances at each clinic for patients 24/7 to cater to their medical needs.
During his visit, the DG Hajj was briefed that over 8,000 types of medicines have already been distributed free of charge through OPD services among Pakistani Hajj pilgrims, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Officials also confirmed that the laboratory at the clinics offers 28 types of modern diagnostic tests.
The Hajj operation involves complex coordination of transport, accommodation and logistics as pilgrims move between key religious sites.
Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry said on Tuesday that over 20,000 Pakistani pilgrims had arrived in Madinah since pre-Hajj flight operations began on Apr. 18.
