Ambulance services for pilgrims: 710 volunteers serving 3,000 pilgrims in the holy sites
The volunteer health program successfully concluded its 18th edition for the 1447 AH Hajj season, providing emergency medical services to over 3,004 pilgrims through the efforts of 710 male and female volunteers. These field efforts, which took place in Mina, Muzdalifah, and Arafat, embody the spirit of giving and dedication to serving the guests of God, and highlight the vital role of volunteer work in the success of this great Islamic gathering.
The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the world's largest annual human gatherings, posing enormous logistical and health challenges. For decades, Saudi Arabia has dedicated significant resources to developing a comprehensive system that ensures the safety and well-being of pilgrims. Volunteer initiatives, such as the health program, are a vital component of this system, harnessing the energy of young men and women in the healthcare field to provide immediate and direct care, thus alleviating pressure on hospitals and established health centers and enhancing the speed of response to emergencies.
Great humanitarian efforts: Volunteers provide ambulance services to pilgrims
During the days of Tashreeq, from the 8th to the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, 115 volunteer teams worked around the clock, logging a total of 29,820 volunteer hours. These teams attended to a diverse range of cases, including 1,923 men (64%) and 1,081 women (36%), reflecting comprehensive coverage and accessibility for various categories of pilgrims in their locations. The success of this program extends beyond its local impact of providing healthcare; it also reflects a civilized and humanitarian image of the Kingdom internationally.
An integrated system to serve the guests of God
The presence of qualified and dedicated medical professionals volunteering their time and effort sends a powerful message of reassurance to millions of Muslims worldwide, underscoring that serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors is a top priority. This work also contributes to establishing a culture of volunteerism as a core societal value, a key objective of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which aims to increase the number of volunteers in the non-profit sector and support their initiatives that serve the community and the nation.
Figures and statistics reflect the scale of the achievement
The cases handled by the volunteers were diverse, with foot injuries constituting the largest group at 1,858 cases (62%), resulting from walking long distances. They also dealt with 270 cases of heat exhaustion (9%), a significant challenge given the high temperatures. In addition, they addressed 876 miscellaneous cases (29%), including general fatigue, monitoring of chronic illnesses, and other conditions, some of which required transferring patients to hospitals in the holy sites for further treatment. This outstanding performance is a result of an intensive training program that the volunteers underwent, totaling 19,880 training hours to ensure their readiness.
In this context, Dr. Jasser bin Abdullah Al-Shehri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Primary Healthcare Charitable Association (Dirham Wiqaya), praised the efforts and dedication of all those involved in the program. He emphasized that these volunteers exemplified the image of a conscious citizen capable of giving and contributing, regardless of the challenges. For his part, Dr. Abdulaziz Buqas, the program's Executive Director, explained that fieldwork is not without its difficulties, but prior training and a spirit of cooperation contributed to overcoming them successfully. He stressed the importance of the psychological and moral support provided by the volunteers to the injured, in addition to medical care.
