Jeddah enters Guinness World Records with the largest health innovation hackathon for Hajj and Umrah
Jeddah witnessed an exceptional event that reinforces the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's leading position in healthcare and digital transformation. His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah, sponsored the closing ceremony of the "Health Innovation Hackathon" dedicated to Hajj and Umrah services. This event marks a significant milestone in the development of services provided to pilgrims, and was organized by the Second Health Cluster in Jeddah in cooperation with the "Let's Initiate" volunteer and community partnership program, with broad participation from government agencies and the private sector.
A global achievement in the Guinness Book of Records
The ceremony began with the playing of the national anthem upon the arrival of His Highness the Governor, followed by a video presentation showcasing the hackathon's journey and the key milestones reached by the participants. This significant effort culminated in His Highness being presented with the Guinness World Records certificate, officially recognizing the hackathon as the world's largest health innovation event. This record reflects the keen interest and support the wise leadership provides for developing the healthcare system, and the commitment of national talent to global competitiveness.
A strategic context that aligns with Vision 2030
This initiative is not a coincidence; rather, it directly contributes to achieving the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, specifically within the "Guests of God Service Program." Through these initiatives, the Kingdom seeks to leverage the latest technologies and artificial intelligence to enhance the efficiency of healthcare services provided to Umrah and Hajj pilgrims. Jeddah, as the main gateway to the Two Holy Mosques, is a vital hub for launching such initiatives, which aim to facilitate the pilgrims' journey and ensure their health and safety from arrival to departure.
Comprehensive innovative pathways
The hackathon was distinguished by its comprehensiveness, as it was not limited to one aspect of healthcare, but rather covered four main tracks that ensured the integration of solutions:
- Innovation in health products: Focusing on developing smart medical devices and tools that serve the field.
- Innovation in health services: improving care delivery mechanisms, reducing waiting times, and responding to emergencies.
- Improving the Hajj and Umrah experience: Innovating solutions that facilitate the beneficiary's journey within health facilities and remove linguistic or procedural obstacles.
- Innovation in health media: Promoting health awareness through modern methods that reach a culturally diverse audience.
Expected impact and honoring the winners
The outcomes of this hackathon are expected to contribute to a qualitative leap in crowd management and proactively addressing health crises during religious seasons. The event was attended by prominent health leaders, including the Director of the Ministry of Health branch in Jeddah, Dr. Meshal bin Mesfer Al-Sayyali, and the CEO of the Second Health Cluster, Dr. Shadi Al-Khayyat. At the conclusion of the event, His Royal Highness the Governor of Jeddah honored the winners who presented promising solutions, as well as the partners and supporting entities that contributed to the success of this global event.
