Emergency teams from the Saudi Red Crescent Authority in Al Madinah region successfully handled a critical medical case involving a Pakistani pilgrim suffering from a heart attack at the Prophet’s Mosque, achieving a record response time of just 56 seconds as part of the “Heart Attack Pathway”, which aims to save lives by minimizing the time needed to provide urgent medical care.

Dr. Ahmad bin Ali Al-Zahrani, Director of the Authority’s branch in the region, explained that the Medical Dispatch Center received a report via the emergency number 997 about a man in his sixties experiencing severe chest pain while in the courtyards of the Prophet’s Mosque. An Advanced Life Support (ALS) team was immediately dispatched to the scene.

Upon arrival, the emergency team conducted the necessary medical assessment, including an ECG, which showed signs of a severe heart attack. The data was promptly transmitted to the on-call physician at the Red Crescent’s medical guidance center, where the diagnosis was confirmed. The team was then directed to activate the heart attack pathway and transport the patient directly to the cardiac catheterization lab at Al-Hayat National Hospital through a dedicated route.

The hospital’s medical team was already on standby in the catheterization unit, allowing for immediate medical intervention, which successfully stabilized the patient and saved his life.

Dr. Al-Zahrani emphasized that the rapid response and effective coordination of the emergency team deployment plan at the Prophet’s Mosque significantly reduced potential complications and contributed—by the grace of God—to a positive outcome for the patient.