Saudi Emergency Services Guide for Hajj Pilgrims

Save these numbers in your phone before arriving in Saudi Arabia: 997 — Saudi Red Crescent (ambulance and emergency 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-emergency health advice, physician consultation, hospital direction); 938 — Hajj Safety and Security; and your embassy or consulate emergency 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.

Saudi Arabia deploys a massive medical infrastructure during Hajj: over 25 hospitals and 150+ health centers serve the Hajj area; field medical stations are positioned every 500-1000 meters along all major pilgrimage routes; mobile medical teams patrol tent camps and gathering areas; helicopter emergency services are on standby for critical evacuations; specialized heat stroke treatment centers with ice-water immersion equipment operate at Arafat and Mina; pharmacies at medical stations provide essential medications free of charge; and dental emergency services are available at major health centers. Medical staff come from across Saudi Arabia and internationally, with many speaking multiple languages. Female medical staff are available for women pilgrims who prefer them.

When calling emergency services, provide: your location as specifically as possible (camp number, street name, nearby landmark, GPS coordinates if available — IhramOS can help with this); the nature of the emergency (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 emergency operators can also communicate via text message if phone communication is difficult.

For non-emergency 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 Hajj 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 Makkah/Madinah can provide over-the-counter medications and advice; and your Hajj group operator should have a designated medical coordinator who can assist with health needs. All medical services for Hajj pilgrims at government facilities are FREE, including medications, procedures, and hospital admissions.