Mobile dental clinic near Grand Mosque provides free service to pilgrims
The clinic has helped over 1,000 pilgrims so far by providing them “with all the necessary services in order to complete their rituals with ease,” Shaibi said
Updated 25 June 2023
Tareq Al-Thaqafi
MAKKAH: The Ministry of Health has set up a mobile clinic to provide free dental health services to pilgrims during the Hajj season.
The clinic is stationed outside the entrance to the Al-Haram Emergency Hospital, in the central area around the Grand Mosque in Makkah, to render it accessible to pilgrims.
The project comes in line with the ministry’s goal of improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare and facilitating access to services for visitors to the Grand Mosque.
It is being implemented in partnership with the private sector, represented by Asen Medical Company, whose Chairman Dr. Mohammed Nizar Shaibi, told Arab News that “the launch and maintenance of the mobile dental clinic project for the second consecutive year is one of the biggest successes.”
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76k
Over 76,000 pilgrims have received health care — including open-heart surgeries, dialysis sessions, and endoscopy operations — in Makkah and Madinah since May 21.
The idea behind the clinic, Shaibi said, stemmed from a desire to offer pilgrims a quick solution to toothaches, which can be common and painful enough to distract from their rituals.
“They won’t be feeling calm and peaceful while in pain,” he said.
“Therefore, we are present round the clock near the Grand Mosque to work on easing their pain and creating all the suitable conditions for their comfort and happiness.”
The clinic has helped over 1,000 pilgrims so far by providing them “with all the necessary services in order to complete their rituals with ease,” Shaibi said.
Patients are transferred to the hospital if they need further medical treatment.
The mobile clinic provides dental health services through 32 medical and surgical specialists equipped with modern technology and instruments and available around the clock throughout the Hajj.
The ministry has implemented multiple initiatives to provide healthcare services to pilgrims.
According to a report by the Saudi Press Agency, over 76,000 pilgrims have received health care — including open-heart surgeries, dialysis sessions, and endoscopy operations — in Makkah and Madinah since May 21.
A fleet of over 190 ambulances and 16 emergency centers have been deployed at the Jamarat bridge area at the holy site of Mina.
It was reported on Sunday that a medical team at King Abdullah Medical City saved the life of a female pilgrim in her 70s after she suffered an acute heart attack.
According to the ministry, the team performed an urgent cardiac catheterization, which revealed a blockage in three coronary arteries. The patient was admitted to the cardiology department for critical cases until her condition was stabilized. She recovered in time to complete her Hajj rituals in good health.
Saudi House kicks off Davos with push on Vision 2030, AI platform and ‘humanizing’ tourism
Saudi ministers dominate pre-summit spotlight at Saudi pavilion, touting Vision 2030’s next phase and human capital as key to global edge
Ministry of Economy and Planning announced the SUSTAIN Platform which aims to accelerate AI-enabled, cross-sector collaboration for sustainable development
Updated 20 January 2026
GABRIELE MALVISI
DAVOS: For regulars at the World Economic Forum, Monday in Davos is usually a chance to ease into the week, a time to reconnect, plan meetings and prepare for the intense schedule ahead.
This year, Saudi Arabia moved quickly to fill that lull, taking center stage with a packed program of panels ahead of Tuesday’s official opening.
At the Saudi House — the Kingdom’s official pavilion on the Promenade, returning after its debut as a standalone venue at the 2025 WEF Annual Meeting — Saudi ministers and global executives set out how the Kingdom sees the next phase of its transformation.
Monday’s speakers at the Saudi House included Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, and President and Vice Chairman of Meta Dina Powell McCormick. (Supplied)
Established by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the venue is pitched as a platform for international thought leaders to tackle the challenges, opportunities and solutions shaping the global economy.
Opening a session on the Kingdom’s role at this year’s Forum and the next phase of Vision 2030 — now in its 10th year and roughly two-thirds complete — Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, said human capital “is the actual driver if you want a competitive, modern economy.”
She described one of the biggest achievements of the past decade as the emergence of a highly qualified cohort of young Saudis who could work anywhere in the world but “choose to come home, choose to build at home and choose to deliver at home,” calling this “the biggest symbol of the success of Vision 2030.”
Who can give you optimum access to opportunities while addressing risks? I contend that Saudi Arabia has been able to provide that formula.
Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi minister of investment
On the same panel, Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan said this success is rooted in a “behavioral change” that has strengthened the Kingdom’s credibility with both international partners and its own citizens.
“Credibility comes from being very pragmatic, making sure that you maintain your fiscal policy discipline, but at the same time refocus your resources where it matters,” he said, warning that “markets will call your bluff if you’re not serious.”
The Saudi House, a cross-ministerial initiative led by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, is intended to underscore the Kingdom’s “commitment to global cooperation” by offering “a platform where visionary ideas are shared and shaped,” while showcasing opportunities and lessons from its “unprecedented national transformation.”
Lubna Olayan, Chair of the Corporate Board, Olayan Group
Echoing earlier comments to Arab News, Economy and Planning Minister Faisal Alibrahim said the Kingdom’s role as an anchor of stability has helped unlock its potential, stressing that while the objective is to decouple from reliance on a single commodity, “2030 is not the finishing line.”
Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi minister of investment, said Saudi Arabia has been able to enable access to opportunities while addressing major risks, arguing that few countries can match the Kingdom’s overall mix.
“No country has all of those to 100 percent,” he said. “But who can give you the mix that gives you optimum access to opportunities while addressing all of those risks?
Dr. Bedour Alrayes, Deputy CEO, Human Capability Development Program, Saudi Arabia
“I contend that Saudi Arabia has been able to provide that formula and the proof is in the pudding,” noting that local investment has doubled in recent years to reach levels comparable with India and China.
While societal transformation dominated the morning discussions, the afternoon turned to technology, tourism, sport and culture, four strategic sectors expected to spearhead Vision 2030’s next phase.
The Ministry of Economy and Planning used the day to announce the SUSTAIN Platform, due to launch in 2026, which aims to accelerate AI-enabled, cross-sector collaboration for sustainable development.
The ministry said SUSTAIN will translate the Kingdom’s public and private-sector coordination mandate into a practical national tool to help government entities, businesses, investors, academia and civil society identify credible partners, form trusted coalitions and move initiatives “from planning to implementation more efficiently,” addressing a global challenge where fragmented partnerships often slow delivery and blunt impact.
“We are in a moment in time where technology may well impact the face of humanity,” said Dina Powell McCormick, recently appointed president and vice chairman of Meta, welcoming the Kingdom’s “desire” to partner with technology companies and its embrace of innovation.
Minister of Tourism Ahmed Alkhateeb, discussing how technology is being deployed in his sector, underlined that “in travel and tourism, people are very important. We learn about other people’s culture through interacting with people. We digitalize the unnecessary and humanize the necessary.”
He added that while technological transformation is a priority, “we don’t want to replace this big workforce with technology. I think we need to protect them in Saudi Arabia, where we’re being a model. I’m an advocate of keeping the people.”
Throughout the week, Saudi House will host more than 20 sessions, including over 10 accredited by the WEF, across six themes: Bold Vision, Insights for Impact, People and Human Capability, Quality of Life, Investment and Collaboration, and Welcoming the World.
The pavilion will also launch “NextOn,” a new series of influential and educational talks featuring leading global voices.
