MADINAH: Malaysia's Tabung Haji (TH) Treatment Centre in Madinah is equipped with various facilities and is manned by specialist doctors, said TH Operations director (Medical) Dr Abdul Jalil Ahmad.
He said the centre is equipped with facilities including a 33-bed ward, an emergency unit, x-ray, physiotherapy, an ambulance and a medical laboratory.
It operates 24 hours and is manned by 59 staff including doctors specialising in emergency, anaesthesia, family medicine and public health.
"This Madinah Treatment Centre can be categorised as a referral hospital for clinics in the zone (the area where hotels are occupied by Malaysian pilgrims)," he told reporters here.
According to him, patients at the centre who require further examination or surgery will be sent to a Saudi Arabian hospital.
It is learned that Malaysia became the first country for two consecutive years to obtain approval from the Saudi Arabian government to run health facilities for Haj pilgrims.
Dr Abdul Jalil said TH also has a medical team stationed at the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport here.
He said the team will conduct a quick health screening on pilgrims arriving from Malaysia before they board the bus to their respective hotels.
"This team at the airport, they can ascertain the condition of the pilgrims when they get off the plane, whether they (pilgrims) have chest pains, shortness of breath or walk unsteadily because there are pilgrims who may have left their medication behind.
"The team will provide immediate treatment if such an emergency situation occurs," he added.
Prior to this, the head of the Malaysian Haj delegation Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said the TH Madinah Treatment Centre passed the strict screening and inspection by the Saudi Arabian Health Ministry on May 25.
This makes Malaysia the first country to obtain approval from the Saudi Arabian government to run health facilities for Haj pilgrims for two consecutive years. — Bernama