The WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr. ‘Ala ‘Olwan has stated, “The Kingdom has enriched the world with a momentous experience in the field of Mass Gathering Medicine”. In a press statement through his participation in the activities of the Second International Conference for Mass Gathering Medicine, organized by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, that was held under the gracious patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him, Dr. ‘Olwan has declared:“The experience earned by the Kingdom over the past decades in the management of health situation, in terms of maintaining the health of pilgrims and visitors of the Sacred House, resulted in such a rich experience, from which all countries, and above all the WHO, make benefit.”
Furthermore, he emphasized that the Kingdom has become a hub for training and capacity building all over the world. Thus, the Kingdom has become one of the key centers for the global and regional training programs. Dr. ‘Olwan went on adding:“We take advantage of this experience, as we need standards and criteria for the prevention and control of diseases, especially the outbreak of infectious and novel diseases, emerging during the mass gatherings. Meanwhile, we cannot approve these standards without referring to the Kingdom’s accumulated experience.”
Within the same vein, Dr. ‘Olwan has described the set of procedures taken by the Kingdom, as represented by the Ministry of Health, for the sake of protection against the novel Coronavirus, as an effective and appropriate one. It played the big role in controlling the spread of the disease, adding: “We are confident of the Kingdom’s existing potentials, for which we would like to extend our thanks to the Kingdom.”