For the first time, the Global Centre for Mass gatherings medicines of the Saudi Ministry of health is using the Health Earning Warning System (HEWS), which ensures the early detection of and timely response to health threats and emergences related to mass gatherings. The annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage is one of the world’s largest mass gathering events, that brings together around 2.3 million people from across the globe.
Using a mixture of syndromic and indicator-based surveillance, it is well-adapted to spot the diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections that can occur due to crowding, variable living conditions and poor hygiene. The system is being applied electronically in 17 hospitals and 96 health facilities in vicinity of Hajj areas, including Makkah, Madinah, Mirah, Arafat and Mozdalefah, as of August 2019.
Source : Emro