Saudi Arabia Expands Digital Health System for Hajj Pilgrims
Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry said it has stepped up efforts this year to expand digital health services as part of a broader strategy to harness advanced technology and ensure safe and efficient medical care for pilgrims during the Hajj.
The ministry said preparations included strengthening digital infrastructure and deploying smart solutions to improve timely access to healthcare, aiming to deliver a safe and healthy pilgrimage for all.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Assistant Deputy Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Health, Eng. Yazeed Alotaibi highlighted a range of advanced digital solutions the ministry has developed, including the implementation of the 'Electronic Health Record' system across all medical facilities in the holy sites.
The system allows for seamless, real-time connectivity between healthcare centers, speeding up diagnosis and patient transfers while enhancing medical response readiness in coordination with the command and control center.
Alotaibi added that services on the 'Sehhaty' app have been upgraded to offer around-the-clock virtual medical consultations, alongside the 937 unified call center.
He said virtual clinics have also been activated in partnership with the virtual health hospital, enabling patients to receive specialized care remotely without the need to travel, easing pressure on field facilities and improving pilgrims' access to medical services at any time.
AI integration
On the use of emerging technologies, Alotaibi said the Health Ministry has 'extensively integrated artificial intelligence tools into its digital systems.'
These tools are being used to analyze medical conversations and convert them into digital records, while also suggesting accurate diagnoses, boosting the speed and quality of clinical decision-making.
AI is also employed to interpret medical images and identify critical cases that require urgent intervention.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry has rolled out a series of cutting-edge technologies to strengthen medical services for pilgrims during this year's Hajj, including the use of drones, artificial intelligence, and cloud infrastructure.
Alotaibi said the ministry is deploying drone technology to deliver medicines and medical supplies swiftly to high-traffic areas, calling it 'a fast and efficient solution' to meet urgent healthcare demands.
Cloud infrastructure has also been activated in health data centers to boost system efficiency and accelerate data sharing among relevant authorities, he added.
Digital health passport
Among other innovations, Alotaibi said the ministry has launched a 'Digital Health Passport' in collaboration with Malaysia, Oman, and Indonesia. The initiative allows early access to pilgrims' health status, allowing personalized care and streamlining medical procedures when needed.
On Monday, Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel inaugurated two key initiatives to support medical supply delivery using helicopters and drones.
These systems are designed to cut delivery times for medicines in high-density zones across the holy sites from 90 to just 6 minutes, enhancing emergency response capabilities.
Fahad Al-Buthi, CEO of supply chain and operations at NUPCO, a Saudi healthcare logistics company, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the drone program was launched in coordination with national authorities.
He said pilot tests showed the drone system could slash delivery time from 90 minutes to just six, a move expected to significantly improve access to critical supplies during peak Hajj periods.
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