MAKKAH: A mobile unit of East Arafat Hospital’s cardiology department has successfully performed 14 emergency cardiac catheterization procedures since it began operations on the first day of Hajj, the Makkah Health Cluster has announced.

The procedures are being conducted under the direct field supervision of King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah city, the health cluster said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

Composed of a specialized cardiology team, supported by qualified Saudi professionals in anesthesia, nursing and urgent cardiac care, the mobile cardiac catheterization unit is deployed at the holy sites to provide immediate on-site intervention.

Officials said that the initiative eliminated the need to transfer patients to specialized centers, “thereby enhancing patient safety and ensuring continuous medical care.”

Meanwhile, the Air Medical Evacuation team at the Ministry of Defense rescued an Indonesian pilgrim who suffered a cardiac arrest on June 5 in Makkah.

The patient was airlifted from Al-Noor Hospital in Makkah to King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital in Taif city.

Air evacuation units stationed near the holy sites ensure a rapid emergency response, improving rescue times and increasing survival rates.

Health officials had earlier announced the successful testing of a new service transporting medicine with drones during Hajj, which started on June 4 and will run until June 9.

As reported earlier by Arab News, Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel said that drone delivery trials over the past two years had tested for safe takeoff and landing, as well as high temperatures. The drones were equipped with cooling systems, he said.

The drone initiative is a part of the comprehensive health care transformation taking place in the Kingdom under the Saudi Vision 2030 program.