SACM - Australia
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9648
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Item Restricted i Exploring Preparedness and Adaptive Capacity for Disaster Management during Hajj in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia(University of Tasmania, 2025) Althagafi, Ibrahim; Lindsay Smith, Dale Edward , Pieter Van DamAlthough the number of deaths from natural disasters has decreased over the years due to factors such as early warning systems and risk reduction, the losses from such disasters have not reduced and are still unequal across different regions. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is particularly vulnerable to natural and human made disasters, and faces additional risks related to the Hajj, one of the largest religious events in the world. This event is very important in the Islamic faith and millions of people attend it every year, increasing the chances of crowd-related disasters, health complications, and the pressure on the health care systems. Hajj as a mass gathering event with participants from different parts of the world presents numerous public health issues such as infectious diseases transmission and care of the chronically ill in the context of physical and environmental stressors of the pilgrimage. These dynamics call for proper disaster management measures that are suitable for religious mass gatherings given that such events are frequent in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study is to examine disaster preparedness and adaptive capacity during Hajj in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia, and to assess the strategies and the knowledge, skills, and preparedness of the healthcare providers for disaster management. It outlines the organisational and contextual factors that determine preparedness and looks at how the sociodemographic factors influence the preparedness of the healthcare providers, administrators and the pilgrims. The bioecological theory of human development underpins the study, integrating the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model's dimensions of individual characteristics (person), dynamic strategies (process), sociocultural and organisational environments (context), and time factors (time). It will explore the roles and interactions of these elements that help formulate a disaster resilience framework addressing the specific needs of similar large-scale religious gatherings. Employing a mixed-methods case study approach design this study integrates quantitative data from a survey of 161 healthcare providers with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews of six healthcare providers, five health administrators, and five pilgrims/community members. This data is analysed using SPSS and NVivo software. The results reveal varying knowledge, skills, confidence, and implementation strategies. In terms of knowledge, which included understanding disaster, familiarity with disaster preparedness procedures, and management, 45.3% of participants demonstrated a high level of understanding. Skills, assessed through technical skills, soft skills, and experience in mass gatherings, revealed that 44.1% of healthcare providers possessed high disaster management skills. Confidence in disaster preparedness was notably high, with 54.4% of providers expressing strong confidence in managing disasters during Hajj. Implementation, which encompassed viii viii infrastructure readiness, healthcare facilities and resources, emergency response and coordination, risk assessment and mitigation, and monitoring and evaluation, saw 55% of providers displaying a high level of knowledge in implementing disaster preparedness measures. Challenges identified included language barriers, conflicting stakeholder roles, logistical issues, staff shortages, and extreme heat. However, opportunities for gaining disaster management skills, leadership experience, practical training application, and improved team collaboration enhanced overall preparedness and resilience. The religious aspect of Hajj preparation significantly motivated healthcare providers, many of whom view their work as a form of worship and charity, seeking spiritual rewards through their service. Applying the PPCT model to Hajj disaster preparedness highlighted the roles of individual characteristics, continuous learning, unique ecological challenges, and historical factors, underscoring a comprehensive approach to disaster preparedness. Additionally, insights from the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2022 conference resonated with the study's findings, emphasising the need for a holistic approach to building resilience. This connection emphasizes the need to integrate the global approaches and best practices in disaster risk reduction into the Hajj context. However, there are some areas of knowledge and skills that needed further development; suggesting the need for enhanced training, better coordination between agencies, and a more holistic approach to disaster management in terms of individual and organizational resilience. The study recommends that there should be better training in crowd control, disaster management and cultural sensitivity for the healthcare workers. It underlines the importance of improving the healthcare system in Makkah City and cooperation between different agencies; including the command center and integrated health strategies. Measures that include awareness campaigns for pilgrims, disaster preparedness through early warning systems, emergency plans and drills are also emphasized. Additionally, the study recommends the use of technology in the delivery of healthcare services such as electronic health records and telemedicine; and the alignment of strategies with the PPCT model which includes person-centered training, process improvement, contextualization, and time-sensitive planning and evaluation.30 0Item Restricted The Role of Hand Hygiene in the Prevention of Emerging Respiratory Tract Infections among Attendees of Religious Mass Gatherings in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-21) Hashim, Mahdi A; Rashid, HarunorHajj and Umrah pilgrimages in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) pose a high risk of transmission of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Hand hygiene (HH) is a fundamental infection control measure, but its preventive role against RTIs during mass gatherings (MGs) lacks focused research. Therefore, this PhD thesis aimed to assess knowledge, perceptions, and practices regarding HH and its role in preventing viral RTIs among attendees of religious MGs in KSA during the COVID-19 pandemic while also exploring the burden and patterns of RTIs among pilgrims. Five observational studies and a pilot randomised control trial (RCT) were conducted between 2019 and 2021 among domestic Hajj and Umrah pilgrims in Makkah and visitors to the Prophet's Mosque in Al Madinah, in addition to a systematised review study. The systematised review identified a high risk of RTIs during Hajj, regardless of pilgrims’ nationality. However, my studies found an overall low prevalence of RTIs among pilgrims during the pandemic, with even lower rates of possible COVID-19. Participants demonstrated moderate HH knowledge, with no apparent improvement during the pandemic. Yet, the majority of participants believed in HH methods' effectiveness against viruses like COVID-19. Compliance with HH practices was generally good, with handwashing with soap being the preferred method. However, no statistically significant difference in HH compliance rate or RTI rates was found between the intervention and control groups in our trial during the pandemic, suggesting inconclusive evidence of HH's protective role during Umrah. The trial successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a future large trial within the Umrah setting. Ongoing efforts to improve HH knowledge and compliance among pilgrims are essential, along with further research to refine preventive measures in MG contexts. These results have significant implications for global public health policy, not only in KSA but also in similar MG settings globally.25 0Item Restricted Collaborative planning for the environmental sustainability of the Hajj(2022) Abonomi, Abdullah; De Lacy, Terry; Pyke, JoanneEvery year, millions of Muslim worshippers visit Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, which is the fifth and last pillar of Islam. Mecca generally hosts more than 2,300,000 people from approximately 183 different countries and cultures every year. Tourism, especially a religious tourist attraction such as the Hajj, is expected to boost the economy and create new jobs for Saudi youth in the services sector. Despite the many benefits of pilgrimage, the Hajj itself has adverse environmental impacts. The activities of Hajj generate considerable solid and liquid waste, use large quantities of scarce freshwater and produce high levels of greenhouse gases. The government of Saudi Arabia has established many strategies and policies, such as a the ‘prepared meal project’, to reduce the impacts of the Hajj activities on environmental sustainability. However, these environmental strategies have not achieved their goals. For example, several hospitality agencies refused to collaborate on the prepared meal project for pilgrims established by the government to reduce waste. The wider literature demonstrates that the success of sustainability plans and projects in the tourism context requires collaboration between stakeholders from all sectors. This collaboration does not occur in the Hajj. The overarching aim of this research is to investigate how the environmental sustainability of the Hajj can be improved. The particular focus, however, is on how stakeholder collaboration in planning can be improved to achieve sustainability goals. This study applies Gray’s (1989) collaborative planning model to investigate the nature of the collaboration process between Hajj stakeholders and identify the drivers that will support collaboration. This model establishes a three-phase planning process necessary to successfully achieve stakeholder collaboration and the strategic goals. To achieve the aim, this research employed a qualitative methodology to investigate the nature of collaboration between Hajj stakeholders and the drivers that induce their collaboration while planning for environmental sustainability of the Hajj. Both primary data and secondary data were used. A qualitative approach was adopted and specific methods used included unstructured and semi-structured interviews. Interviewees were selected to be representatives of public and private sector stakeholders, and interviews were conducted in a face-to-face setting at a time and location convenient to them. The qualitative analysis program ATLAS was used to analyse the data and define the themes. Research findings identified many barriers to collaboration between Hajj stakeholders at each stage of Gray’s (1989) collaboration model. Centralised governance, poor leadership and a lack of adequate resources in the planning process created obstacles to the achievement of environmental sustainability in the destination. The results show that the level of collaboration between stakeholders in the Hajj is fragile and requires significant improvement. Thus, from an analysis of findings, ways to improve the collaborative network between Hajj stakeholders when planning for protecting the environmental sustainability of the destination are explored. This study contributes to theory by applying Gray’s (1989) model to a new and unique context, thereby revealing barriers and drivers to effective planning and the implementation of environmental policy and strategy. The study reveals opportunities for improvement and future research. The practical contribution of the study is that it can inform policymakers of the importance of changing their traditional approach in the planning process, especially because the government of Saudi Arabia has made a commitment to environmental sustainability, as detailed in the national document Vision 2030. In addition, the results may guide Hajj stakeholders from all sectors to understand the barriers and drivers that affect the development of collaboration. Thus, they may review and re-establish their collaborative network for the Hajj planning process.38 0