The volunteer health program during Hajj: ambulance services for thousands of pilgrims
concluded Hajj Volunteer Health Program its field operations for the 1447 AH Hajj season with exceptional success, setting new records in serving the pilgrims. This year, the program successfully provided healthcare and emergency medical services to more than 3,000 pilgrims in the holy sites, thanks to the tireless efforts of 710 male and female volunteers distributed across 115 specialized ambulance teams working around the clock to ensure the safety of the pilgrims throughout their journey in the holy sites.
The importance of the volunteer health program during Hajj and the Kingdom's Vision 2030
This program is part of an 18-year legacy of organized humanitarian work in the Holy Sites. This initiative embodies the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which prioritizes volunteer work and serving pilgrims through its Pilgrim Service Program. The program aims to harness the potential of young medical and healthcare professionals in the Kingdom, channeling their humanitarian passion into practical field services that facilitate the Hajj rituals for pilgrims from around the world. This, in turn, enhances the quality of healthcare services provided and reinforces the Kingdom's position as a leading global model in crowd management and emergency humanitarian care.
Details of the ambulance services and injuries that were dealt with
During the Hajj pilgrimage, which spanned from the 8th to the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah in Mina, Muzdalifah, and Arafat, volunteers dedicated approximately 29,820 hours to their work. Ambulance teams provided services to 3,004 beneficiaries, with men comprising 64% (1,923 cases) and women 36% (1,081 cases).
The medical cases that were dealt with in the field varied; foot injuries topped the list at 62% (1,858 cases) as a result of walking long distances, followed by heat exhaustion at 9% (270 cases) due to high temperatures, in addition to 876 miscellaneous cases at 29% that included general exhaustion and chronic diseases. Critical cases that required advanced care were transferred to hospitals in the Holy Sites to complete treatment.
Training medical staff to ensure quality of care
Dr. Abdulaziz Bouks, the program’s executive director, explained that fieldwork is not without challenges and difficulties, but intensive prior training and a spirit of cooperation were the main pillars for overcoming obstacles; as the volunteers underwent 19,880 hours of training and qualification before the start of the season to ensure the efficiency of rapid ambulance intervention.
For his part, Dr. Majid bin Ahmed Muafa, supervisor of the Corporate Communication Department, indicated that the program’s capacity reached 710 volunteers, of whom 56.6% were males and 43.4% were females, noting that 80% of them were participating for the first time, which reflects the expansion of the health volunteering culture in the Kingdom.
In this context, Dr. Jasser bin Abdullah Al-Shehri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Primary Health Care Charitable Association (Dirham Wiqaya) - the entity implementing the program - praised the dedication of the volunteers and their ability to provide psychological and moral support to the injured in addition to medical care, stressing that this excellence marks a new chapter in the success story of the program, which has spanned eighteen years under the wise leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which spares no effort in serving the guests of God and providing them with all means of comfort and safety.
