MINA, 11 January 2006 — Hospitals in the holy sites treated on Monday about 6,000 patients, including two critical cases that were transferred from Arafat to Al-Nour Specialist Hospital in Makkah. Health Ministry officials said the rituals went off without a hitch in terms of public health.
Ministry spokesman Khaled Merghaliani said there were neither births nor surgeries performed so far since the start of the Haj.
“May God keep these doctors well,” said an elderly South African woman who received minor treatment at the Mina General Hospital yesterday. “I was feeling exhausted and immediately checked into this hospital. The doctors here have been excellent. They administered painkillers and then I slept like a baby,” she said.
A Pakistani pilgrim too had checked into the hospital for exhaustion.
“I had gone to the Jamarat Bridge to complete the stoning ritual. The mass of people near the bridge unnerved me and I was on the verge of collapsing when I reached the Mina hospital. The doctors here took full care of me. I am very thankful to them,” said Shujauddin Anwar Muhammad.
