Jeddah conference to assess risks of mass gatherings

The Ministry of Health (MoH) plans a two-day international conference in Jeddah to assess the risks associated with mass gatherings of humans.
The event, which will run Jan. 31-Feb. 1, will be jointly organized with the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO), the MoH said.
More than 30 experts on mass gathering medicine from global universities and centers will participate in the event, including those from Washington University, Flinders University in Australia, as well as experts from South Africa, Britain, Pakistan, and Indonesia.
The event will also be joined by experts from local institutions including King Saud University, Umm Al-Qura University, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj and Umrah Research, and Al-Faisal University.
The conference aims to lay down a vision for assessment tools on risks and dangers related to mass gatherings and the transfer of expertise to the Kingdom.
The Global Center for Mass Gathering Medicine, affiliated to the MoH’s Public Health Agency, last year launched an intensive training course aimed at identifying basic concepts and standards of public health during mass gatherings, notably in the Haj season and for Umrah pilgrimages, and how to deal with potential disasters.
Global experts drawn from reputable British and Australian universities as well as the World Health Organization experts attended the event.
It touched on topics including risk assessment, command and control during emergencies, the role of health facilities in cases of emergency, how to deal with sunstroke, and crowd behavior.

Source : Arab News