Drones cut haj medicine delivery time from an hour to six minutes
MAKKAH: The Saudi Health Ministry's Emergency Operations Centre is leveraging drone technology to deliver medicines to haj sites, cutting delivery time from over an hour to just six minutes.
This sharp reduction in delivery time marks a major advancement in logistics management, helping to minimise risks, especially in critical cases that could be life-threatening.
Saudi Medical Appointments and Referrals Centre chief executive officer Professor Nawfal Aljerian said the primary objective of this healthcare logistics innovation is to ensure that critical treatments reach patients without delay.
"This initiative aligns with the Saudi government's commitment to enhancing healthcare services during the world's largest annual gathering.
"This technological advancement represents a major shift in health management during haj," he told Malaysian media during a visit to the centre in Mina today.
The Emergency Operations Centre, which operates under the Health Ministry, functions 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It integrates real-time data from hospitals, clinics, and ambulance services, with all information transmitted directly through electronic systems such as Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and the Hospital Information System (HIS).
This setup enables healthcare teams to make prompt, data-driven decisions.
According to Health Ministry records, nearly 49,000 pilgrims have received treatment at primary healthcare centres, while emergency departments have managed more than 19,000 cases.
Outpatient clinics attended to close to 1,000 patients, and over 3,500 individuals were hospitalised, including 1,730 admitted to intensive care units (ICUs).
The Saudi government had earlier warned that temperatures during the haj season were expected to reach a maximum of 40 to 45 degrees Celsius, raising concerns about the risk of heat-related illnesses.
Pilgrims have also been advised to avoid being outdoors between 10am and 6pm, as well as to refrain from walking from Makkah to Arafah, to safeguard their health.
Meanwhile, National Centre for Security Operations of Saudi Arabia (NCSO) gave its assurance and commitment to respond to every emergency call made to the 911 hotline within two seconds.
Its official spokesman, Abdulaziz Z Al Ghamdi, told Malaysian media that a report would be forwarded to the relevant agency for follow-up action within 45 seconds.
He said this assurance reflects improved readiness as Saudi Arabia prepares to accommodate nearly two million haj pilgrims, with a comprehensive operational plan launched to address large-scale logistical and safety needs throughout the pilgrimage season.
According to the Saudi General Authority for Statistics, 1,833,164 Muslims from around the world are expected to perform the haj this year.
Of this number, 1,611,310 are international pilgrims, while 221,854 are domestic pilgrims.
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