‘KSA hospitals surpass some world-class ones’

October 19, 2013

Riyadh, Oct 19: The Kingdom has won accolades from the World Health Organization for the medical services it provided to pilgrims during the Haj season.

Ezz Al-Din Al-Muhsini, WHO coordinator of elimination and eradication of infectious diseases, and coordinator of the eradication of polio, said: “The well-equipped hospitals designated to serve Haj pilgrims indeed surpassed many of the world-class hospitals.”

Al-Muhsini added: “Even though this is the first time that I have come to the holy sites, representing the WHO, I am actually amazed by the level of services provided by the Saudi Ministry of Health.

“I am particularly impressed by the highly equipped hospitals designated for serving pilgrims in the course of the pilgrimage, indeed surpassing many of the world-class hospitals,” Al-Muhsini said.

He said the fact the hospitals are equipped with high-tech devices seldom found in many international hospitals is evidence of the Kingdom’s medical superiority.

Al-Muhsini noted that such health services can’t be found in many world-class hospitals, both in terms of services provided to pilgrims, and the speed of accomplishment.

He cited as evidence a case he witnessed while returning from Muzdalifah. He also extended sincere thanks to the Saudi government for all such services provided for the pilgrims.

“We were expecting an impressive show given the momentous health progress the Kingdom is currently witnessing,” he said. “And this should come as no surprise, for the Kingdom is already known for its high morals in the health field, just as in all other fields and walks of life, among which health comes first and foremost. Truth to tell, this is something all Saudis should be proud of.”

Earlier, WHO also commended the overall health services provided by Saudi authorities to pilgrims this year, terming it as “the most comprehensive and integrated health care system.”

Fadila Sho’eib, WHO spokesperson, said that during her three-day stay in the Kingdom she witnessed a high level of efficiency in an effort to maintain pilgrims’ safety and comfort from arrival till departure. “The Saudi Ministry of Health offers health services that are far better than what most countries can boast of,” she said.

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Syrian Town erupts after Israeli forces enter Beit Jinn; heavy casualties reported

News Network

November 28,2025

Several Syrians were killed and more than two dozen others injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, amid intensified incursions by the occupying regime since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule.

Syrian state TV reported that the casualties occurred during an overnight Israeli assault involving helicopters and drones on the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. The attack followed an Israeli military unit’s entry into the town, where they were surrounded by local residents, leading to gunfire and direct confrontations.

According to the report, “The occupation army’s helicopters and artillery shelled Beit Jinn, located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, resulting in 13 martyrs and 25 injured civilians.” The broadcaster did not specify the full extent of damage.

Al-Ikhbariyah Syria confirmed that the shelling coincided with Israeli soldiers entering Beit Jinn, while artillery pounded surrounding areas. The broadcaster stated that the escalation began after local residents clashed with an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated the southern town and “kidnapped” three young men.

Following a two-hour exchange of heavy fire, Israeli forces withdrew and repositioned on the hill of Butt al-Warda at the town’s outskirts.

Israeli media acknowledged that six soldiers were wounded in the clashes—three of them seriously—describing the confrontation as a “sudden ambush” that forced the deployment of reserve units and air support to secure an exit route. No further details were provided.

The aggression has fueled renewed displacement from Beit Jinn, with residents fleeing to nearby villages amid increasingly frequent Israeli attacks.

The raid came just a day after Israeli troops carried out another ground incursion into Umm al-Luqas village in Quneitra province. According to SANA, an Israeli unit in four vehicles entered the village, raided several homes, and later withdrew.

Syria condemned the repeated incursions as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and UN resolutions, urging the international community to enforce compliance and pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw fully.

Israel has expanded its attacks across Syrian territory following the collapse of the Assad government last year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed his forces to push deeper into Syrian territory and seize strategic positions.

Meanwhile, critics say the HTS-led interim government’s inaction and growing normalization gestures toward Israel have emboldened Tel Aviv to intensify its military operations. HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, seized control of Damascus last December, formally ending Assad’s rule.

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