Key Saudi الطوارئ numbers: 997 for ambulance/medical الطوارئ, 911 for general الطوارئ, 999 for police, 998 for civil defense/fire, and 937 for Ministry of Health hotline (non-الطوارئ health advice). All الحج medical services are provided FREE. Medical stations are located throughout all الحج sites. Services are available in multiple languages.
Save these numbers in your phone before arriving in المملكة العربية السعودية: 997 — Saudi Red Crescent (ambulance and الطوارئ medical services, this is the PRIMARY number for health emergencies); 911 — Unified Emergency Number (connects to appropriate service — police, fire, medical); 999 — Police (Shurta) for security emergencies, lost persons, theft; 998 — Civil Defense (fire, rescue, building collapse, crowd incidents); 937 — Ministry of Health Hotline (non-الطوارئ health advice, physician consultation, المستشفى direction); 938 — الحج Safety and Security; and your embassy or consulate الطوارئ number. Program all these numbers into your phone. Write them on a card you carry in your pocket in case your phone dies. Most operators speak Arabic and English; translation services for other languages are usually available.
المملكة العربية السعودية deploys a massive medical infrastructure during الحج: over 25 المستشفىs and 150+ health centers serve the الحج area; field medical stations are positioned every 500-1000 meters along all major الحج routes; mobile medical teams patrol tent camps and gathering areas; helicopter الطوارئ services are on standby for critical evacuations; specialized الحرارة stroke treatment centers with ice-water immersion equipment operate at عرفة and منى; pharmacies at medical stations provide essential الأدويةs free of charge; and dental الطوارئ services are available at major health centers. Medical staff come from across المملكة العربية السعودية and internationally, with many speaking multiple languages. Female medical staff are available for women الحجاج who prefer them.
When calling الطوارئ services, provide: your location as specifically as possible (camp number, street name, nearby landmark, GPS coordinates if available — الإحرامOS can help with this); the nature of the الطوارئ (chest pain, someone unconscious, difficulty breathing, etc.); the number of people affected; the person's approximate age and gender; any relevant medical conditions (diabetic, heart patient, pregnant); and your phone number so they can call back. Stay on the line until the operator tells you to hang up. If calling from a crowd, try to move to a quieter spot so you can be heard. If you cannot speak Arabic or English, try to find someone nearby who can translate or use a translation app. Many الطوارئ operators can also communicate via text message if phone communication is difficult.
For non-الطوارئ health concerns, several services are available: call 937 (Ministry of Health Hotline) for medical advice — physicians are available 24/7 to help you decide if you need to visit a medical station; walk-in medical stations at الحج sites can handle minor injuries, prescription refills, blood pressure checks, blood sugar monitoring, and general health consultations — no appointment needed; Seha virtual health app provides telemedicine consultations in multiple languages; pharmacies at medical stations and in مكة/المدينة can provide over-the-counter الأدويةs and advice; and your الحج group operator should have a designated medical coordinator who can assist with health needs. All medical services for الحج الحجاج at government facilities are FREE, including الأدويةs, procedures, and المستشفى admissions.