المملكة: Pictures: The Hajj Voluntary Health Program attracts 710 students in its 18th edition

This was stated by the Dirham Weqaya Association, the implementing agency of the program, as it launched its package of volunteer health programs for the Hajj season 1447 AH, as part of its annual efforts to serve the guests of God and enhance the presence of volunteer health work in the Hajj season, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in empowering the non-profit sector and raising the contribution of volunteers in community service.

Program development Future

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Charitable Society for Primary Health Care, Dr. Jasser Al-Shehri, explained that the Society’s programs in this year’s Hajj come within a more comprehensive vision of volunteer health work, which is not limited to providing direct treatment service, but extends to awareness and prevention, health risk management, qualifying volunteers, analyzing field data, and benefiting from it in developing future programs.

This package comes as an extension of the cumulative experience the Society has acquired through the Voluntary Health Program in Hajj, which this year is entering its eighteenth edition, It is considered one of the association’s most prominent field programs during the Hajj season.

It focuses on providing primary health care, first aid, and health awareness to pilgrims in a number of high-density locations, according to an operational model designed to suit the nature of the Hajj season and its health needs.

Most notable developments

Dr. Al-Shehri revealed the most prominent developments in the association’s programs for this season; It is operating four medical clinics on the pedestrian road between Arafa and Muzdalifah, stressing that the association works annually to develop its operational model in line with health and regulatory developments in Hajj, and in a way that enhances the quality of service provided to pilgrims, and raises the efficiency of volunteer health work in high-density field environments.

Dr. Al-Shehri stressed that volunteer health work in Hajj represents a great opportunity to contribute to the service of religion and the nation, to gain the honor of serving the guests of God, and to consolidate the values of solidarity. And the solidarity encouraged by Islam.

It also reflects a civilized image of organized volunteer work, and embodies social responsibility programs in one of the greatest religious and humanitarian seasons, by supporting national efforts in health care, awareness and prevention.

Selection mechanism

The Executive Director of the Voluntary Health Program in Hajj, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Alawi Buqas, stated that the registration stage witnessed the progress of more than 3,200 men and women willing to participate, who were then sorted according to Specific criteria include health and professional readiness, volunteer experience, field work ability, and commitment to program requirements, before selecting the final participants and qualifying them for field tasks during the Hajj season.

The doctor noted "Bugs" The volunteer health program in Hajj goes through several main stages. After the acceptance stage, the preparation and training stage begins, and includes theoretical and practical training to prepare male and female volunteers to deal with the most common health conditions in the Hajj season, such as heat stress, sunstroke, fatigue, foot ulcers and wounds, and some chronic emergency conditions.

He added: Then comes the field stage, which begins from the Day of Tarwiyah and continues until the end of the days of Tashreeq, where the volunteer teams are distributed in the specified locations and equipped with medical supplies. necessary, to carry out its awareness, first aid and health missions. The program concludes with the evaluation phase, data collection, and indicator analysis, which contributes to measuring the impact and developing future versions of the program.

Enhancing the quality of services provided to the guests of God

Boqas added that the package of “A Dirham of Prevention” Hajj programs in which male and female volunteers participate seeks to build an integrated health volunteer model that combines professional competence, field preparedness, preventive awareness, and integration with relevant authorities, which contributes to reducing seasonal infections and reducing exacerbating minor health conditions, and enhancing the quality of services provided to the pilgrims.

The association is implementing its programs this season in partnership with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Ministry of Health, and a number of relevant governmental, health, and non-profit agencies, and under the supervision of the National Center for Non-Profit Sector Development, within the framework of integrating efforts aimed at serving pilgrims and enhancing the quality of field health care during the Hajj season.

The association explained that the volunteer hours of participants are approved through the health volunteering platform, which enhances the reliability of Participation, and supports documenting the contributions of male and female volunteers in this blessed national and humanitarian work.