The Ministry of Health has launched a mobile-based application enabling pilgrims to have access to important health-related information and resources available during the ongoing Haj.

Anees Sindi, deputy head of the command and control center at the MoH, said the ministry was committed to provide fact-based information about infectious diseases with a view to reassuring those traveling to and within the Kingdom.

He added that there is no need to worry about health concerns.

"The Ministry of Health encourages all those traveling to perform Haj this year to make use of the newly launched mobile-based application,” he pointed out.

A ministry official said Friday that pilgrims using android-powered smartphones had to search for the "MOH Hajj App" and download it from Google Play.

The application includes daily health alerts, location of the nearest health care facilities in Makkah, Madinah and the other holy sites, useful contact details, and tips on dealing with the basic health diseases and health tips, he said, adding that it also includes instructions on how to make emergency calls for getting the requisite medical assistance.

It comprises a live Twitter-based brief that will focus on providing real-time health-related tips by the MoH.

The application provides users with additional information on the symptoms of common diseases, tips on what to do if one develops such symptoms and when to seek medical assistance.

The app also provides guidelines on what to do if a fellow pilgrim contracts an infectious disease.

The ministry has taken various initiatives to protect the health of citizens and pilgrims, which include imposing travel restrictions on the countries affected by the Ebola virus, designating three distinctive centers for containing and treating infectious diseases, launching awareness and educational programs focusing on infectious disease control among the public and health care workers.

Additionally, the ministry has created emergency response infrastructure, including the MoH-related Command and Control Center in Jeddah and multiple mobile laboratories in Makkah and Madinah.