Saudi doctors save life of Iranian Hajj official after heart attack

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Updated 12 July 2022
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Saudi doctors save life of Iranian Hajj official after heart attack

  • The 60-year-old Iranian pilgrim suffered a severe heart attack during Hajj
  • He underwent two life-saving procedures at King Abdullah Medical City

MINA: Medical staff at King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC) in Makkah on Sunday saved the life of yet another pilgrim who suffered a heart attack while performing Hajj rituals, the Saudi Ministry of Health said.
The pilgrim was identified as Mohammad Reza Gholamreza Refatiani, head of the Iranian medical mission that accompanied the country’s Hajj delegation this year, the ministry said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.




Mohammad Reza Gholamreza Refatiani’s case was dealt with at a record speed. (MOH)

Refatiani, who is 60 years old, was first taken to Ajyad Hospital when he complained of chest pains. He was then transferred to KAMC as a life-saving case.
“Doctors performed a first catheterization procedure that opened the posterior left coronary artery, which had been widened and stented. After doctors noticed that Refatiani’s pain persisted, he was subjected to a second catheterization operation to expand the left anterior coronary, remove the stenosis he suffers, and place a stent using the latest advanced technology represented by video technology for coronary arteries,” the statement said.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Ateen, a consultant cardiologist who attended to the case, pointed to the effectiveness of the emergency system in place to serve pilgrims, which enables the quick transfer of patients to hospital after the appearance of symptoms of a severe heart attack.
Refatiani’s case was dealt with at a record speed, which contributed to saving the life of the Iranian pilgrim, Al-Ateen said.
As of Sunday, the government’s network of hospitals and health centers in Makkah, Arafat, Muzdalifah, Mina, Jamarat and Taif, have provided health services to more than 93,229 pilgrims.




Dr. Mohammed Al-Ateen, a consultant cardiologist who attended to the case, pointed to the effectiveness of the emergency system in place to serve pilgrims. (MOH)

Among the most prominent services provided were 10 open-heart surgeries, 187 cardiac catheters, 379 dialysis operations, ten laparoscopic operations, and more than 250 other surgeries. Services had also been provided remotely to more than 2,200 pilgrims by the ministry’s Virtual Health Hospital. 

Refatiani was the latest pilgrim to successfully undergo emergency cardiac catheterization procedure at KAMC this Hajj after suffering from severe chest pains.

On July 2, heart specialists at KAMC successfully treated Hussain Qasmi Jalmrazy, who complained of severe chest pains. The patient from Isfahan in central Iran was able to continue performing the Hajj rituals after the procedure.

KAMC medical also save the lives of a German pilgrim and a 54-year-old Syrian pilgrim, who suffered heart attack on July 8.

On July 7, the Health Ministry confirmed that KAMC medical teams had saved the life of a Nigerian pilgrim in his thirties who was suffering from severe heart palpitations and a sharp drop in blood pressure that led to cardiac arrest in a rare and serious case.He was resuscitated by emergency teams after his heart stopped beating, and an operation was performed to urgently treat his condition. He was also able to go on and complete his Hajj.

Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, governor of the Makkah Region and presi- dent of the Central Hajj Commitee, said there had been no recorded accidents, infections or diseaseoutbreaks during the pilgrimage. “I am pleased to announce that this year’s pilgrimage has been successful on the security, service and health fronts,” the governor said.


Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects’ Israel’s plan to seize Gaza territory

Updated 08 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects’ Israel’s plan to seize Gaza territory

  • Israeli authorities on Monday approved plans to take over territory and forcibly displace population
  • Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemns Israel’s violations of international law

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has “categorically rejected” plans by Israel to expand its military operations in Gaza and seize control of the territory.

The ministry also “strongly condemned the continued Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

Israeli authorities on Monday approved a new ground operation to take over parts of Gaza, forcibly displace Palestinians into the south of the territory, and control the distribution of humanitarian aid. The Israeli army is calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.

The announcement sparked widespread international condemnation. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said it stood firmly opposed to any attempted expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, and stressed the importance of holding Israel accountable for failures to comply with international resolutions.

The Kingdom continues to have “unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, in line with international legitimacy, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital,” the ministry added.


Saudi project destroys 600 more Houthi landmines and other explosives in Yemen

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi project destroys 600 more Houthi landmines and other explosives in Yemen

  • The devices, cleared from various parts of the war-torn country in recent months, were safely detonated on Wednesday
  • Project Masam has removed nearly 500,000 mines across Yemen since its launch in 2018

RIYADH: Members of the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance, also known as Project Masam, safely detonated 600 mines, unexploded ordnance and other explosive devices on Wednesday.

The project’s engineers had demined and removed the devices over the past few months from various parts of Yemen, including the town of Beihan and the districts of Usaylan and Ain in Shabwah governorate.

Hussein Al-Aqili, commander of the project’s survey team, said they carried out the destruction operation in the Thahba area of Ain district on Wednesday as part of their ongoing mission to clear mines and other remnants of war in Yemen, and save civilian lives.

The project has cleared nearly 500,000 mines from the country since its work there began in 2018.

Last week, Ousama Algosaibi, the managing director of Masam, warned that the Houthis continue to exploit periods of truce to plant more mines across Yemen.

“We are in a constant race with the Houthi militias; we clear mines from one side while they plant more on the other,” he said during an interview with Al-Ekhbariya TV.


Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

Saudi Ambassador to Bahrain Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi was received by Nabeel bin Yacoub Al-Hamer, media affairs adviser to the King of Bahrain, in Manama on Wednesday.

The adviser expressed his pride in the solid fraternal relations and deep-rooted historical ties that bind the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He also wished Al-Sudairi continued success in his duties, which will further support and strengthen the fraternal ties, mutual coordination, and close cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in various fields, and particularly in the media.


 


Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities

  • Push for accessible arts programming reflects wider goals for social development

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission has launched a national initiative to expand access to music education for people with disabilities, marking a key step toward their greater inclusion in the Kingdom’s cultural landscape.

Focused on Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, the program trains instructors to teach students with physical and cognitive disabilities.

It supports the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate quality of life and ensure opportunities for all segments of society.

Music education expert Issa Al-Qarbi praised the initiative as a transformative step in supporting individuals with disabilities.

“Music is a highly effective medium for stimulating brain activity, developing motor and social skills, and enhancing overall psychological well-being,” he said.

The initiative includes adapting teaching methods, specialized curricula and fully accessible learning environments aligned with the requirements of the Mowaamah certification, a program which provides support to increase participation among disabled individuals in the labor market.

In designing the program, the commission partnered with international experts in music on the curricula and programs that align with global best practices.

The existing models were reviewed using the standards set by the National Association for Music Education.

The commission’s goal is to empower students to express themselves through music, boost their self-confidence and enhance their social, cognitive and motor skills.

The students will receive extended training that prepares them for group performances while supporting their artistic, cognitive and social development. Sessions with parents and community members are also being planned to raise awareness and encourage family engagement.

Al-Qarbi said that long-term sustainability and lasting impacts could be ensured by closer partnerships between the education and healthcare sectors.

He praised the initiative as a regional model, opening the door to further research and innovation.

He said that teaching music to individuals with disabilities went beyond technical skills, nurturing essential personal qualities such as patience, discipline and social engagement, which in turn positively influenced many areas of their lives.


Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin

  • Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah says operation is one of the most delicate carried out by his team
  • Procedure takes 8 hours and involves multidisciplinary team of 26 consultants

RIYADH: A medical team from the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program successfully completed a surgical procedure on Wednesday to separate an Egyptian child from a parasitic twin.

The operation on 8-month-old Mohammed Abdulrahman Juma at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh took eight hours and was split into six stages. It involved a multidisciplinary team of 26 consultants, including specialists in anesthesia, neurosurgery, pediatrics and plastic surgery.

A parasitic twin, also known as a vestigial twin, is an identical twin that stopped developing during gestation and is physically attached to a fully developed twin. Because it did not fully develop, it cannot survive on its own and often dies in the womb or during birth.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who heads the surgical team and is an advisor at the royal court and supervisor general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief, said the twins were joined at the back, lower chest, abdomen and pelvis. The parasitic twin lacked a head and essential organs, including a heart and kidneys.

Al-Rabeeah described the operation as one of the most delicate his team has been involved with, and thanked his colleagues for their efficiency and skill during the surgery, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Mohammed and his parents flew to Saudi Arabia in March after King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman issued directives for medics in the Kingdom to help the child.

The operation on Wednesday was the 63rd separation procedure carried out under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has reviewed 149 cases of patients from 27 countries since its inception in 1990.