Hajj 2024: International SOS encourages organisations to prioritise pilgrim health and safety with new precautions
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The annual Hajj pilgrimage, a worldwide gathering attracting over 1.8 million individuals final 12 months1, is anticipated to happen in Saudi Arabia from 14 to 19 June 2024. Because of the giant scale of the occasion, guaranteeing the well being and security of all pilgrims requires a deal with preventive measures. Meningococcal illness has been reported in travellers coming back from Saudi Arabia, highlighting the significance of adhering to the necessities. Worldwide SOS, the world’s main well being and safety providers firm, encourages organisations with workers collaborating within the Hajj pilgrimage to make sure their workforce is conscious of important precautions for a protected and wholesome religious journey.
Aligned with the most recent well being and security rules established by the Saudi Arabian authorities, Worldwide SOS has developed a complete guideline centered on guaranteeing pilgrims’ well being, safety and wellbeing. The rule of thumb outlines essential pre-travel issues together with a number of newly applied necessities. It highlights the official allow and vaccination necessities, warmth mitigation methods in addition to selling vigilance and consciousness of environment to make sure particular person security, significantly throughout crowd surges.
Dr Nosa Aihie, Regional Medical Director, Center East, at Worldwide SOS, stated:“It will be important for pilgrims to stick to vaccination necessities listed by the federal government of Saudi Arabia to guard themselves and their friends from varied infectious ailments. This contains the required vaccination in opposition to meningitis administered not more than three years and a minimum of ten days previous to the deliberate arrival in Saudi Arabia. Consistent with this, pilgrims are suggested to hold legitimate well being certificates stating they’re free from any acute, persistent or infectious ailments. Moreover, we advise scheduling actions to keep away from peak warmth hours at any time when attainable and being adequately hydrated throughout Hajj, as pilgrims could expertise heat-related diseases and dehydration.”
Gulnaz Ukassova, Safety Director at Worldwide SOS in Dubai, pressured the necessity for thorough pre-travel preparation and compliance with authorities directives, stating: “It’s important for pilgrims enterprise Hajj to completely perceive and adjust to the related Hajj rules previous to, and through, the pilgrimage. Pilgrims ought to count on giant crowds at spiritual websites, significantly on the Jamaarat Bridge in Mina and round Al-Masjid Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca. Stay protected throughout crowd surges by staying alert to environment, adhering to designated lanes, avoiding strolling in opposition to the route of visitors and figuring out the closest emergency exits and evacuation routes. Pilgrims also needs to account for potential journey disruption and elevated demand for varied providers throughout this era.”
Hajj 2024 well being and security tips for organisations and their workforce to make sure the well being and security of pilgrims:
- Encourage workers enterprise Hajj to acquire vaccinations and well being certification:All pilgrims are required to have proof of meningococcal illness vaccination. Guarantee all routine vaccinations, together with COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are updated. Relying on their nation of origin, travellers could also be required to point out proof of polio and yellow fever vaccination.
o Registration on the ‘Sehaty’ app is necessary to confirm vaccination standing and facilitate entry into the nation for all pilgrims.
- Guarantee compliance with rules: Encourage workers to at all times observe steerage offered by licensed Hajj operators for a protected and organised pilgrimage. Guarantee they adhere to designated time slots allotted by authorities to assist minimise overcrowding dangers.
- Provide safety briefings and heightened situational consciousness:Present pre-departure briefings on safety protocols, situational consciousness practices and cultural sensitivities. Develop contingency plans to deal with potential journey disruptions throughout the Hajj.
- Educate workers on dangers of maximum temperatures:To mitigate the results of probably excessive temperatures, pilgrims ought to prioritise staying hydrated. Selecting light-weight and light-coloured clothes helps regulate physique temperature and reduces warmth stress.
- Guarantee crowd and emergency preparedness:Present workers with crowd administration information with ideas for navigating densely populated areas. Encourage pilgrims to avoid wasting emergency contact info for police, ambulance providers, embassy officers and native contacts on their cellphones in case quick help is required.
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