Karbala Finalizes Comprehensive Medical Plan for Arbaeen Pilgrims
The Karbala Health Directorate has finalized a comprehensive emergency plan to provide extensive medical and healthcare services to the millions of pilgrims expected for the Arbaeen Husseini pilgrimage.
The plan, supported by Iraq’s Minister of Health and the Governor of Karbala, is set to commence on Thursday, the fifth of Safar, and will continue until the official conclusion of the Arbaeen rituals.
The initiative aims to offer effective medical, health, and treatment services to pilgrims of all ages and genders, both from within Iraq and abroad. A primary objective is to enhance preventative measures against the spread of infectious diseases, alongside delivering optimal healthcare to citizens and visitors. Extensive educational campaigns will be conducted to raise awareness among pilgrims, Moukeborganizers, and Husseini processions regarding health guidelines.
The comprehensive plan includes the deployment of 100 ambulances at emergency centers and along routes leading to the city, the allocation of eight public and five private hospitals for emergency cases, and the establishment of six rapid medical intervention centers within the old city center and the Husseiniya district. These centers will be fully staffed and equipped with essential medicines, medical devices, and emergency supplies.
Additionally, 22 medical stations, including the specialized eye surgery center of Lady Zaynab al-Kubra (peace be upon her), have been prepared. Fifty health teams will monitor drinking water and food services for pilgrims, while 30 mobile teams will provide rapid response for emergencies. The Health Directorate, in collaboration with the army’s medical sector, will also establish 12 medical stations and mobile clinics across three main axes of Karbala province and the city center.
The General Company for Marketing Drugs and Medical Appliances (KIMADIA) has significantly contributed to this plan by providing substantial quantities of medicines, diverse medical equipment, and antibiotics beyond their monthly quotas to the Karbala Health Directorate. KIMADIA will further enhance services by dispatching specialized medical teams and 20 ambulances.
According to the Health Directorate, pilgrim accommodation sites linked to the holy shrines on the main routes into Karbala will be covered by the health departments of Baghdad (specifically the Rusafa sector), Diwaniyah, Muthanna, Basra, and Maysan provinces. These centers are responsible for providing emergency services to pilgrims. Furthermore, the health directorates of Babil and Najaf Ashraf provinces will offer necessary medical support to Karbala within their administrative limits, ensuring comprehensive healthcare services for Arbaeen pilgrims.
