Dubai: More than 126,000 Hajj pilgrims received extensive healthcare services from the first day of Dhul-Qa’dah (May 9) through Eid Al Adha (June 16), according to the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia.
Healthcare facilities provided to the pilgrims included specialised clinics, pharmacies, kidney dialysis centres, intensive care units, and isolation units, catering to a wide range of medical needs.
During this period, medical teams performed 21 open-heart surgeries, 236 cardiac catheterisations, and 939 kidney dialysis procedures, demonstrating the high level of medical preparedness for the event. Additionally, 3,058 pilgrims were admitted to hospitals and medical centres for various treatments.
As the Hajj concluded amidst the extreme summer heat of Mecca, Saudi authorities recorded temperatures peaking at 51.8°C at the Grand Mosque, exacerbating conditions for the pilgrims.
The intense heat resulted in more than a dozen confirmed heat-related deaths and over 2,700 cases of heat exhaustion reported on Sunday alone.
In Mina, where temperatures soared to 46°C, pilgrims participated in the ritual of “stoning the devil,” the final major step of the Hajj, under challenging conditions.
The Saudi weather service issued warnings and continues to closely monitor the situation as the faithful complete their sacred obligations.
