Haj 2022 commences with 1 million pilgrims

KUALA LUMPUR: The haj season of 1443 AH officially started yesterday - after a break of two years due to COVID-19 - where pilgrims began to perform the "Tawaf Qudum" around the Kaaba before going to Mina.

This year's haj season involves a million pilgrims - a number far greater than the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

According to Saudi Press Agency, The Ministry of Haj and Umrah has been making operational plans for this year's haj season since last year and working with various sectors in providing services for pilgrims, including putting in place traffic plans and planning transportation frequencies.

The health sector provides medical and treatment services through 4 hospitals and 26 health centres in Mina - among them Mina Al Jaser Hospital with 150 beds, Mina Al-Wadi Hospital (160 beds), and Mina New Street Hospital (50 beds) - and ambulance transport services, which consist of 100 small ambulances and 75 large ambulances.

The health sector also supports 97 ambulance centres affiliated with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority with a fleet of 320 ambulances, 6 air ambulances, 9 motorcycles and 4 golf carts, in addition to 4 medical supply vehicles and 16 qualitative response vehicles, with 1,288 medical staff.

At the same time, the Haj Security Team announced their readiness in ensuring the safety of the pilgrims this year for a safe, comfortable and peaceful environment to perform the haj.

Along the journey to Mina, The National Water Company provided operational and strategic storage quantities to pump 2.4 million cubic meters through its networks, while the Saudi Electricity Company enhanced its services in Makkah and Masyair through 46 new projects.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association has provided 2,200 scouts to serve the pilgrims in Mina, through a scout service programme at the Mina Al Jabal, Mina Mash'ar, Mina Al Wadi, Mina Al Jadeed, and Al Jamrat camps.

The COVID-19 outbreak has forced the Saudi authorities to significantly reduce the number of pilgrims, which is about 60,000 people and residents in Saudi Arabia in 2021, compared to just a few thousand in 2020.

For this season, the pilgrims will start moving to Mina on Thursday - about five kilometers from the Grand Mosque - a day before the 'wukuf' at Arafah.

Saudi authorities had previously restricted the pilgrimage this year to Muslims under the age of 65 who had been vaccinated, in addition to meeting prescribed standards of health.

-- BERNAMA