The volunteer health program for Hajj begins its work with 115 teams in the holy sites
The volunteer teams began their work on the evening of the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah and the ninth day in Arafat, according to a field plan to distribute volunteer health care points in Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah and pedestrian routes, in accordance with the plans for the movement and grouping of pilgrims during the performance of the rituals, and in a way that ensures a rapid response and the provision of field health services with efficiency and quality.
The number of field teams participating in the program reached 115 field teams, distributed across vital locations in the holy sites, including a number of volunteer health care points, in addition to covering the four levels of the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, with the aim of providing primary health care, promoting health awareness, and reducing injuries and health complications among pilgrims.
heat stress cases
Dr. Jasser bin Abdullah Al-Shehri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Primary Healthcare Charitable Society, the program's implementing body, explained that 710 volunteers participated this year, comprising 402 male and 308 female volunteers. They underwent intensive training that included both theoretical and practical components.
Dr. Al-Shehri stated that the total training hours provided to the volunteers amounted to 19,880 hours, delivered through 20 workshops, lectures, and training sessions presented by 10 trainers. The aim was to enhance the teams' preparedness and enable them to handle the most common health conditions during the Hajj season.
He added that the training program focused on equipping volunteers with the necessary skills to manage and differentiate between heat exhaustion and sunstroke, foot injuries, and cases of exhaustion. It also covered triage procedures during emergencies and disasters, God forbid, and the ability to identify cases requiring referral to health centers.
Raising health awareness
The “Dirham Wiqaya” Association is implementing its 18th annual Hajj volunteer health program, under the supervision and support of several relevant entities. This reflects the integrated efforts between the non-profit sector and governmental and health authorities to contribute to raising health awareness, reducing health risks that pilgrims may face, and enhancing the quality of services provided to the guests of God.
The program aims to promote a culture of health volunteering among students of health colleges, empower national talent to actively participate in serving pilgrims, and support innovation and its applications in the health field, medicine, and crowd management. This aligns with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the Guests of God Service Program, which seek to improve the quality of services provided to Hajj and Umrah pilgrims and showcase the Kingdom’s distinguished role in serving the Two Holy Mosques and the guests of God.
