MOH News

Dr. Al- Ahwal: The Kingdom Made Great Strides in the Field of Mass Gathering Management
23 September 2013
The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at King Abdulaziz University, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Ahwal said that the Saudi Arabia has made great strides in the field of Mass Gathering management due to its practical and scientific experiences in the seasons of Hajj and Umrah which occur annually, pointing out that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is concerned, since its establishment, with the health of pilgrims.
 
“The 2nd International Conference for Mass Gathering Medicine coincides this year with the proximity of the Hajj season,” said Al-Ahwal.
 
Within the same vein, Dr. Al-Ahwal highlighted that all the health sectors in the Saudi Arabia, led by the Ministry of Health, have cadres and high-level health workers in the field of Mass Gathering Medicine who can deal with the mass gatherings professionally. Moreover, Dr. Al-Ahwal added that the Hajj season gets thronged by more than 3 million people who move within a limited geographic and time scope, however, the season passes smoothly without recording any health problems, thanks to Allah. 
 
Dr. Al-Ahwal mentioned also that the time of Hajj differs from one season to another, as it may be within the summer or winter season; making the Kingdom have the mechanism and preparedness to deal with the health problems of the pilgrims professionally in each season. In the summer, the Kingdom works on treating the heatstroke, while it fights influenza and infectious diseases during the winter days.
 
Furthermore, Dr. Al-Ahwal pointed out that all such scientific and practical experiences, accumulated over years, have made the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occupy the top of the countries with regard to infrastructures, i.e. cadres, competencies and capabilities. Dr. Al-Ahwal added that such infrastructures made the Kingdom able to manage the mass gatherings under a safe medical umbrella.
 
In conclusion, Dr. Al-Ahwal wished every success and luck for the Second International Conference, which is sponsored by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him, and attended by an elite group of the Ministers of Health belonging to the Arab states and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, with the participation of some major countries such as USA, France, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan.
 
 



Last Update : 26 September 2013 02:12 PM
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