According to a recent study, the Saudi Arabian government’s preventive efforts were successful in lowering the health hazards that pilgrims performing the Hajj face due to high temperatures while performing the pilgrimage ceremonies.
The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center’s Research and Innovation Center led the study, which revealed that even though Makkah’s temperatures are rising at a rate of 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade, preventive measures that improve pilgrims’ experiences and provide a safe and healthy environment for performing rituals have resulted in a 74.6 percent decrease in heat stroke cases and a 47.6 percent decrease in death rates.
The goal of the study, which was published in the Journal of Travel Medicine, is to investigate the impact of preventive measures in reducing the negative effects of pilgrims’ illnesses, as well as the correlation between the rise in ambient temperatures during the Hajj season and the rates of infection with health risks associated with it over the previous 40 years.
The study’s findings were derived from an examination of four decades’ worth of meteorological records, as well as the incidence of heat exhaustion and sunstroke in Makkah during the Hajj season.
The study states that in order to mitigate the health risks associated with heat for pilgrims during the Hajj season, the Kingdom has implemented various measures at both the individual and societal levels. These include the use of mist fans and water mist columns to cool the air in open spaces and reduce the heat on crowds of pilgrims, the distribution of water and umbrellas, and the provision of air-conditioned means of transportation, such as the Mashair Train, which has been operating since 2010 to provide comfortable transportation for pilgrims.
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