The Minister of Health said that more than 1,690,000 pilgrims benefited from preventive and ambulatory services in the health outlets provided by the ministry this year. He added that the ministry, in cooperation with a number of government agencies, also participated in the Makkah Road Initiative, in which preventive health measures, including vaccinations, were implemented in the country of every pilgrim before his departure to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He pointed out that the ministry implemented this year, in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), the electronic early warning system for health events and epidemic diseases. The Minister of Health said that the number of participants in serving pilgrims this year are about 30,000 health providers, pointing out that 25 hospitals in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites were prepared with a total capacity of 5000 beds, 142 primary care centers, in addition to more than 140 mobile clinics. He added that the number of pilgrims who received health services in the ministry's facilities reached about half a million pilgrims from the first day of the month of Dhul-Qaida until the twelfth day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah. Open heart, more than 750 cardiac catheters, 600 different surgeries, 12 births, and dialysis services for all who need it, were offered to pilgrims free of charge, he said. He added that the number of pilgrims who received health services at the ministry's facilities reached about half a million pilgrims since the first day of Dhu Al-Qaeda until the twelfth day of Dhu Al-Hijjah, where more than 4,200 pilgrims were admitted to hospitals. Also, 36 open heart surgeries, more than 750 cardiac catheterization operations, 600 different surgeries, 12 births, and dialysis services for all who need it were conducted, affirming that all these services are provided free of charge. --SPA 18:41 LOCAL TIME 15:41 GMT 0021 www.spa.gov.sa/w1155676