Medical preparedness plan for Hajj pilgrims

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 17 Nov 2009

A comprehensive medical preparedness plan has been developed by Dubai Health Authority (DHA) to ensure the safety and comfort of Hajj pilgrims who will use the Dubai International Airport.

This year, over 6000 Hajj pilgrims are expected from Dubai to head towards the Holy site in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In order to oversee the functioning of the Dubai Airport Medical Centre and to ensure whether the preparedness plans for Hajj pilgrims are in place, a high delegation of health officials from Rashid Hospital, including CEO Dr Shawqi Khoori and Medical Director Dr Younis Kazim have inspected the medical centre recently.

More than seventy doctors and nurses equipped with the latest medical equipment will be present in buildings 1 and 3 of the Dubai International Airport, said Dr Amer Al Zarooni, Director of Airport Medical Centre.

"The DHA has developed the preparedness plan to ensure they have a rapid response to emergency medical situations such as cardiac arrest," he added.

"The DHA has set up two thermal scanners at two locations in the airport to detect travellers with H1N1 symptoms," said Al Zarooni.

According to him, the DHA will provide all the necessary vaccinations such as meningitis vaccine, H1N1 vaccine for the pilgrims.

"The pilgrims will also be provided with Vitamin-C drinks, in addition to several pamphlets giving them information on ways to protect their health," he noted.