Deputy Governor of Mecca receives Guinness certificate for the world's largest health hackathon

In a new national achievement reflecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's leadership in innovation and serving pilgrims, His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region, received the Guinness World Records certificate for the "Hajj and Umrah Health Innovation Hackathon." This occurred during his meeting at the Governorate headquarters in Jeddah with His Highness Prince Saud bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah, where the hackathon was officially recognized as the largest event of its kind globally in the health sector.

Details of the global achievement and official attendance

The certificate presentation ceremony was attended by a distinguished group of healthcare leaders, including Dr. Meshal bin Mesfer Al-Sayyali, Director of the Ministry of Health branch in Jeddah, and Dr. Shadi Al-Khayyat, CEO of the Second Jeddah Health Cluster. His Royal Highness the Deputy Governor of Makkah listened to a detailed explanation of the extensive organizational efforts that resulted in this global achievement, which stemmed from a successful strategic partnership between the Second Jeddah Health Cluster and the "Let's Take the Initiative" program, supported by close collaboration with more than 16 government and private entities that joined forces to ensure the success of this event.

The context of the vision and the importance of innovation in Hajj

This achievement is perfectly aligned with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, specifically the Guests of God Service Program, which aims to facilitate the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages and enhance the quality of services provided to pilgrims. This initiative is of exceptional importance given the health and logistical challenges that necessitate unconventional solutions for managing the millions of pilgrims during peak seasons, where the use of technology and innovation is a fundamental pillar for ensuring the safety and health of pilgrims.

The impact of this hackathon is not limited to the local level only, but it sends an international message confirming the ability of young Saudi talents to lead the global innovation scene, and to harness modern technologies to serve humanity in the holiest of places.

Innovation and community engagement pathways

The hackathon, which kicked off last October, was distinguished by the wide participation of more than 500 innovators, who competed in presenting creative solutions across four main tracks covering all aspects of healthcare:

• Innovation in health products: to develop medical tools and devices that serve the field.
• Innovation in health services: To improve the efficiency of operational processes in hospitals and centers.
• Improving the Hajj and Umrah experience: To ensure a healthy, easy and safe journey.
• Innovation in health media: To promote health awareness using modern and effective methods.

This Guinness World Record is a culmination of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to enhance the readiness of the health system and to establish a culture of social responsibility and institutional innovation, which directly contributes to raising the efficiency of services provided to visitors of the Two Holy Mosques and achieving comprehensive health sustainability.