Air ambulance makes successful test landing at Masjid Al-Haram's latest helipad

An air ambulance successfully landed within the third Saudi expansion of Majid Al Haram in Makkah to provide rapid medical assistance.

The initiative is part of the plan to address the situation address emergency situations during severe weather conditions in the Kingdom. However, the air ambulance will be used for medical emergencies during intense weather. 

An Instagram account of 'the holy mosques stated' that “the air ambulance was tested at the helipad located within the third Saudi expansion of Majid Al-Haram Makkah.” 

It further mentioned, "The helipad was designated for evacuating patients and transporting them to hospitals for treatment during peak seasons."

Read: Saudi Arabia introduces "eco-friendly" recycled Ihrams to promote sustainability

Notable in Makkah, two emergency healthcare facilities operated around the clock during Ramadan to provide exceptional healthcare to Grand Mosque visitors.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the health system provides over 40,000 health services to Umrah performers during the first half of the holy month.

The Ministry of Health affirmed that these efforts were aligned with the objective of the Health Sector Transform Program and the Pilgrim Experience Program under Saudi Vision 2030.

Read: Saudi Arabia restores Al Fas'h mosque, a historic site of prayer during Battle of Uhud

Apart from pilgrims' health and safety, the Ministry of Health also announced the health requirement for the upcoming Hajj, stating that pilgrims must be free of illnesses that would interfere with their capacity to safely conduct the Hajj.

The Ministry of Health recommended pilgrims, especially those with chronic diseases, ensure they carry documents that confirm their health condition, to come along with an adequate supply of the medications they take, which should remain in their original packaging.

The Ministry of Health recommends that pilgrims update their vaccinations against essential diseases, such as diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles, chickenpox, and mumps, in addition to the mandatory vaccines mentioned above.