MINA: The current Hajj season has been epidemic-free, said Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah.
Under directives from the king and crown prince, the Health Ministry has mobilized its human and material resources to provide preventive, therapeutic and emergency services to pilgrims, Al-Rabiah added.
With more than 2 million pilgrims, this year’s Hajj season was the biggest yet, he said. Accordingly, the ministry has started developing and increasing the number of health facilities in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites, he added.
The ministry’s undersecretary for public health, Dr. Hani bin Abdul Aziz, said some 1,714,000 pilgrims were medically screened at all entry points, while 1,520,000 — 88.07 percent of foreign pilgrims — were vaccinated.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed satisfaction over the ministry’s measures to ensure a safe Hajj season.
WHO representative Dr. Ibrahim Al-Zaiq said high temperatures were behind an increase in the number of pilgrims affected by heat stress, but the ministry was fully prepared for this.
Hajj season epidemic-free: Health minister
Hajj season epidemic-free: Health minister
Saudi Arabia to host WEF Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting in April
- Minister stressed the need for sustained dialogue to accelerate global growth and called on participants to actively engage in the upcoming meeting
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting in Jeddah between April 22-23, 2026.
Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim on Friday confirmed the details of the high-level meeting which was announced at the annual WEF meeting in 2025, Saudi Press Agency reported.
In his closing remarks at the forum, the minister stressed the need for sustained dialogue to accelerate global growth and called on participants to actively engage in the upcoming meeting.
He noted that the meeting will build on the momentum generated by the WEF’s Special Meeting hosted by Riyadh in 2024, affirming that the Kingdom has emerged as a global capital of pragmatism and consequential decision-making.
WEF President Borge Brende highlighted the forum’s deepening engagement with the Kingdom. He said: “We are pleased to return to Saudi Arabia in 2026 to carry forward the conversations started at our annual meeting, creating space for leaders to work together, build trust, and ensure dialogue leads to meaningful collaboration and action.”
