KSA has leveraged technology to enhance security, communication, transportation, accommodation and health services, beginning with a list of approved Hajj tour operators early on to help prospective pilgrims plan their journeys. The majority of worshippers fly to Jeddah and Madinah, where the airports have dedicated Hajj terminals.
To limit the spread of any disease, the Saudi Ministry of Health set up more than 15 centres for disease control and prevention at key points of entry. These centres, operating around the clock, are equipped with emergency teams and medicines. According to the Ministry of Health, some 2,100 free medical procedures have been performed on pilgrims who arrived this year in advance of Hajj.
The Ministry of Health has been focused on Hajj pilgrims from the month before, Dhulqa'adah. Specialised services to pilgrims at the hospitals in Madinah and Makkah included 123 cardiac catheterisation procedures, six open-heart surgeries, 822 dialysis sessions and 36 endoscopy procedures, in addition to other 277 surgeries. In a statement dated late August the ministry said emergency departments received 10,864 pilgrims and outpatient clinics served 16,112 cases, while healthcare centres received 128,909 outpatients, in addition to 1,158 cases admitted to hospitals.
The kingdom has also introduced electronic identification bracelets. The water-resistant and GPS-enabled devices contain detailed personal information of pilgrims, allowing the Hajj authorities to identify individuals in need of help and provide appropriate care. These devices also feature a multilingual helpdesk to guide non-Arabic speaking pilgrims through Hajj and inform them of prayer times and rituals.
As part of the Kingdom’s safety and security arrangements, more than 17,000 highly trained personnel, supported by 3,000 advanced vehicles have been deployed to ensure the highest levels of safety and security. Furthermore, pilgrims are monitored by over 100,000 security agents, who carry out safety plans through the use of face-recognition software and closed circuit cameras.
The authorities have capitalised on social media and digital communication too. Throughout the five-day pilgrimage, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah sent regular text messages to individuals’ mobile phones. These messages advise pilgrims on the appropriate procedures for Hajj and contain information in their respective languages. The Hajj team deployed on the ground is proficient in more than a dozen of languages to ensure that all needs of pilgrims are met. The Ministry of Culture and Information is also embracing social media to support the pilgrims. The Ministry is collaborating with YouTube to livestream Hajj, and has worked closely with Google, iTunes, Twitter and Facebook to create Hajj-related apps.
The ministry has also launched digital platforms such as SaudiWelcomesTheWorld.org and Hajj2017.org to provide information and insights to pilgrims in Makkah, as well as to the global audience, including the media.