The Deputy Minister of Health for Public Health, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Saeed, launched yesterday, Sunday, the 3rd International Symposium on Mass Gathering Medicine. It is a two-day symposium organized by the Global Center for Mass Gathering Medicine, affiliated to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
The Director of the Global Center for Mass Gathering Medicine, Ms. Badreyya Al-Otaibi, has pointed out that the Center organizes an annual symposium on mass gathering medicine, with the participation of a number of organizations, agencies, universities and specialists of mass gathering medicine from a number of sectors inside and outside the Kingdom, such as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the General Presidency for the Holy Mosque and Prophet’s Holy Mosque Affairs.
“Such symposia enhance work, and help to improve the mass-medicine performance on a daily basis,” said Ms. Al-Otaibi, “by means of researches being conducted, over this year and the year ahead, revolving around the communicable diseases during the Hajj and Umrah season, and also the visitors of the Holy Mosques from outside or inside the Kingdom, as well as the non-communicable diseases, and other problems related to mass gathering medicine.”
Ms. Al-Otaibi highlighted that the first day of the symposium touched upon the work of some private entities related to mass gathering medicine from outside the MOH and inside Kingdom; with a view to showing the international organizations and bodies that other Saudi entities participate with the Ministry of Health during the Hajj and Umrah season.
She indicated that the symposium also discussed the communicable diseases, especially the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV), during the Hajj and Umrah season, in addition to talks about the non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and cardiac diseases, which are quite prevalent among those coming from outside the Kingdom to perform Hajj and Umrah.
It is worth mentioning that the World Health Organization (WHO) identified and recognized the Global Center for Mass Gathering Medicine as an accredited and cooperative center. Besides, the Kingdom is reckoned a pioneer reference in the mass gathering medicine domain; due to its outstanding experiences in this regard, the matter which has been lauded by many international health organizations. Over and above, the Ministry has a one-year scientific training program for Saudi diploma.