RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, has launched a nationwide regulatory campaign to enhance food safety during Ramadan.

The campaign focuses on verifying the quality of commonly consumed foods and ensuring compliance with health regulations, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

It includes intensified inspections of food warehouses, sales outlets, and distribution centers to check the accuracy of food and nutritional data, assess compliance with transportation and storage requirements, and examine product tracking mechanisms.

These measures aim to keep markets free of unfit products while ensuring adherence to technical regulations and standard specifications, the SPA reported.

Alongside inspections, the campaign features food safety training programs for food establishment employees to enhance compliance with health requirements and ensure the availability of safe, high-quality products.

Special attention is given to Makkah and Madinah, where independent control plans address the high influx of Umrah performers and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques, ensuring food safety and quality, according to the SPA.

The authority remains committed to continuous inspection efforts across all branches and offices to uphold health standards and verify product safety throughout manufacturing, storage, and distribution, reinforcing food security during Ramadan.

RIYADH: Government agencies in Makkah have begun implementing plans to provide the best services for visitors and Umrah performers during Ramadan, with a high influx of worshippers from within and outside the Kingdom expected.

The General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque has launched its Ramadan season plan with several projects, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Tahallul from Nusuk service has been trialed at five locations within the Grand Mosque, following strict hygiene standards. For the first time, the authority is offering a mobile hair-cutting service via specially designed carts that move with the crowds.

Additionally, luggage storage services have been enhanced with designated shelves and an electronic tracking system, including six drop-off points at the mosque’s main entrances.

The number of electric golf carts has been doubled to 400, distributed across 11 locations inside the Grand Mosque, the SPA reported.

The authority has improved iftar meal distribution through electronic registration, introduced location-based guidance signs for visitor access, and increased the presence of reporting teams around the clock to handle inquiries and maintenance requests.

In coordination with relevant authorities, the authority has developed crowd management and guidance plans within the Two Holy Mosques and their courtyards. Specialized personnel have been deployed for spatial guidance, and clear pathways have been designated to ensure smooth movement.

Prayer areas in both mosques have been prepared to accommodate the largest number of worshippers while ensuring their comfort.

The authority has also launched the Walking Guides initiative, providing trained teams to assist visitors and Umrah performers in navigating the mosques and responding to inquiries in multiple languages.

Meanwhile, Makkah Municipality has begun implementing its plans for municipal services, including public sanitation, waste disposal, pest control, and monitoring commercial establishments related to public health.

Its services also include inspecting food products for suitability, maintaining and cleaning municipal facilities, preparing infrastructure, and overseeing public restrooms, parks, green spaces, and drainage networks.

The Makkah region branch of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance has started implementing its plans to welcome worshippers across the region’s governorates.

This includes cleaning, furnishing, and perfuming mosques, maintaining equipment, ensuring the availability of prayer supplies, and intensifying inspection tours to verify mosques’s readiness to receive worshippers.