The Minister Plenipotentiary and Director of the Department of Health and Humanitarian Aids in the Arab League, Dr. Layla Nejm, affirmed that the 2nd International Conference for Mass Gathering Medicine is a unique conference, whether in terms of its kind or theme, adding that the Kingdom has a unique experience in this field.
Dr. Nejm stated, in a press statement delivered on the sidelines of the Conference held in the capital city of Riyadh yesterday (Saturday), that the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him, and the inauguration of His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, give the Conference a momentum and wide-range reputation in the health community; affirming that all the countries have accepted to participate in the Conference to learn of the Kingdom's experience in managing the mass gatherings during the Umrah and Hajj seasons.
Within the same vein, Dr. Nejm pointed out that the theme of the Conference generates new ideas for future studies in several and different areas, noting that invitees and participants from outside the Kingdom have came to overview the burden carried by the Kingdom and the amount of work required to manage the gatherings in Makkah, the holy sites and Madinah during the Umrah and Hajj seasons.
Dr. Nejm noted also that the Kingdom's experience allows for the concerned persons to make several studies on the best ways of dealing with the gatherings at the sporting, cultural and touristic events to be used when they come back to their homelands in the future.
In addition, Dr. Nejm highlighted that the researchers identify the elements to be used within their studies through reviewing the sites in which the Hajj and Umrah performers throng to perform the rituals.
In conclusion, Dr. Nejm affirmed, “Upon the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him, and his royal approval to launch this Conference, the Ministry of Health (MOH) had successfully managed to make the wishes of the world come true in terms of the general understanding of this field on a healthy basis, given that, such crowds gather each year for the same reasons and at the same sites, but the other factors witness an ingoing change,” describing such changes as a real challenge facing the Kingdom, however, the Saudi Arabia always overcomes such a challenge through providing its service for pilgrims.