Evaluating compliance of Makkah hospitals with occupational health and infection control procedures

Abstract

This dissertation explores the awareness and compliance of healthcare workers in Makkah hospitals regarding infection control and occupational health and safety procedures. The study focuses on staff directly responsible for infection prevention, as they play a central role in keeping hospitals safe, especially during the Hajj season when workload is high. A qualitative design is adopted, using semi-structured interviews with ten participants. The sample includes hospital managers in charge of infection control programmes, infection control officers who monitor compliance, and occupational health and safety staff who ensure that the rules are applied to healthcare workers. The interview guide is built around five themes: policy awareness and implementation, organisational support and training, barriers to compliance, monitoring and evaluation, and alignment with national and international guidelines. Data are coded manually and analysed thematically. The findings show that hospitals have policies aligned with Ministry of Health and WHO standards, but gaps exist between written procedures and daily practice. Main barriers include workload during Hajj, limited resources, a lack of training evaluation, and complex policy documents. At the same time, leadership support and regular monitoring are reported as positive factors encouraging compliance. The study concludes that effective infection control and occupational safety depend not only on written policies but also on practical implementation, clear communication, continuous training, and adequate resources. Recommendations are made to simplify documents, improve training evaluation, and provide stronger support for healthcare workers to achieve higher compliance.