The health inspection center at Jeddah Islamic Port on Friday welcomed its first Hajj pilgrims of the year. The first two ships to arrive, Mouda and Nour, carried 2,303 people from Sudan.

Staff checked all of them had the required health certificates, and provided any necessary preventive treatment according to the regulations set by the health ministry.

Dr. Nashwan Abdullah, the director of the centers, said that staff there check everyone arriving at the port is vaccinated against meningitis and yellow fever, in line with the ministry’s instructions.

Vaccinations are provided for those who need them and preventive treatment is available for pregnant women, the elderly and children. Pilgrims are also offered first-aid kits, information booklets and umbrellas.

Abdullah said processing of the first group of pilgrims went very smoothly thanks to the efforts of medical and support teams. The center has 115 teams, which include doctors and technicians.

In addition to carrying out the health checks, the medics can provide urgently needed medications, and medical equipment is available to treat emergency cases among pilgrims and port workers.

The center also follows up on any complaints of sickness, as well as chronic disease, to make sure patients are in good health. Urgent cases are also followed up.

Cases that require additional or more complex medical treatment are referred to hospitals in Jeddah.

SOURCE : ARABNEWS