Haj 2022: Bedridden pilgrims travel to Makkah in ambulances

Riyadh: After a COVID-engineered hiatus of two years, the Saudi Health Ministry organised a convoy of ten ambulances to transport bedridden patients from hospitals in Madinah to the holy sites in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The bedridden pilgrims on Tuesday were accompanied by a specialised medical team comprising doctors, nurses, and paramedics.

The convoy included— five backup ambulances, an intensive care ambulance, an integrated oxygen cabin, a mobile mechanic workshop, and a bus to transport patients’ spouses and relatives have also been provided.

Every year, the Ministry transfers bedridden pilgrims from the hospitals of Madinah to the holy sites so that they can perform their Haj rituals and complete their treatment in the hospitals of the holy sites after providing them with medical services in the hospitals of Madinah.

The Saudi Ministry of Health said that more than 43,000 pilgrims benefited from these services in Makkah and Madinah this year.

On Thursday, July 7, one million pilgrims from across the globe amassed in the holy city of Makkah

in Saudi Arabia to perform the initial rites of the haj, marking the largest Islamic pilgrimage since the COVID-19 pandemic upended the annual event — a key pillar of Islam.

2020 and 2021 witnessed an exceptional season for Haj and in consideration of the “COVID-19” pandemic.

The Haj is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey, which takes believers along the path traveled by the Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago. Pilgrims spend five days performing a set of rituals aimed at bringing them closer to God.