TH treatment centres in Makkah, Madinah receive permit approval from Saudi govt

PUTRAJAYA - The Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) Treatment Centres in Makkah and Madinah have become the first health facilities for foreign pilgrims to receive the permit approval from the Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health for this year’s haj season.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the services offered at the TH Treatment Centres were almost equivalent to minor specialist hospitals.

He said the treatment centres had obtained an ambulance permit to run ambulance services using 20 high specification ambulances.

"The approval of these permits was given after going through a strict and thorough inspection by the Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health.

"This is also a recognition of the quality and standard of facilities and health services for Malaysian pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah," he said in a statement today.

On May 13, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the ministry had sent 255 medical personnel, comprising 128 staff who had participated in prior operations and 127 new staff, to Saudi Arabia.

Dr Noor Hisham said in general, MOH provides health services at all pilgrims' accommodation under TH's management, including outpatient treatment at zone or maktab (accommodation hostel) clinics, emergency treatment, inpatient treatment, specialist treatment for family medicine, orthopedics, anesthesiology, radiology, psychiatry and public health.

Also offered are medical laboratory, inpatient and outpatient pharmacy, physiotherapy, spiritual care services, patient dietary nutrition services, disease control surveillance, as well as food quality and safety monitoring.

In Makkah and Madinah, the bed capacity in the inpatient care centre is 268 beds while the treatment and rest centre has 184 beds, he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said the diseases most frequently received at the outpatient clinics in Makkah and Madinah involve bacterial lung infections, such as upper respiratory tract infections and non-communicable diseases such hypertension, diabetes and heart attack.

Dr Noor Hisham said other illnesses included fatigue, allergies, heat exhaustion and heat stress.

"The hot and dry weather conditions in Makkah and Madinah can have detrimental effects on health and healthcare measures should be taken seriously by the pilgrims,” he said.

Apart from that, he said the spread of infectious diseases could still occur in the Holy Land.

"Malaysian haj pilgrims are recommended to always wear face masks, especially in high risk areas such as congested and closed areas such as in elevators, suraus and outside the accommodation buildings," he said.

Pilgrims also need to seek early treatment at maktab clinic in Makkah or zone clinic in Madinah if they have symptoms to avoid severe complications of the disease. - BERNAMA