Health Ministry, Umm Al-Qura sign pilgrims safety agreement

Minister of Health Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and Dr. Bakri bin M’atoog bin Bakri Assas, president of Umm Al-Qura University, signed an agreement recently with the Global Center for Mass Gathering Medicine and the Haj and Umrah Research Institute of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Umm Al-Qura University to focus on crowd management during pilgrimages.
The signing ceremony was held at King Abdulaziz Historical Hall in Al-Abdiyah.
Assas said he was pleased with the agreement. The agreement included a number of colleges and study programs accredited by international health organizations that are expected to have positive impact on pilgrims’ service.
The Umm Al-Qura University has a wide range of experience on issues of crowd management.
Al-Rabiah said the agreement’s mechanism would be directly linked to Haj research and mass management during Haj and Umrah. It will focus on diseases that spread among crowds.
Dr. Hamza Ghulman, head of Medical Services for Haj and Umrah Affairs and dean of Haj and Umrah Research Institute, said the institute and center will have a consultation on all issues related to the efforts, to achieve the aspired objectives, exchange documents and to collect and analyze data needed for publication.
He said the agreement also includes a mass gathering health program to upgrade health and safety measures of the pilgrims.
He said participants will build relationships with domestic and international organizations, create a channel of information and communication, and carry out the research that covers the institute and the center’s field of specialization to establish a mass health and management program to develop a database for research and studies.
The signing ceremony was attended by Hamad Al-Dhewalia, deputy health minister; Dr. Mustafa Baljon, director-general of Makkah Health Affairs; Ghulman and officials from Health Ministry and university.