JEDDAH: A campaign will be launched on the first day of Haj by a group of medical students to increase awareness about health among pilgrims.
Ohoud Al-Hobani, founder of Jeddah Advances, a group that promotes volunteerism, told Arab News that this campaign was aimed at educating pilgrims on health issues.
The campaign, “Live Healthy in Haj,” will be presented by a group of students who received courses and training in first aid. They will target mainly the camps of women pilgrims at this year’s Haj, set to begin somewhere between Dec. 5 and 7.
“We all have certificates from Prince Naif bin Sultan Program for First Aid,” said Al-Hobani, who is studying dietary science at King Abdulaziz University’s medical college.
“Our mission is to explain to pilgrims the necessary means of taking care of their personal health during Haj. Also, we want to warn them of infectious diseases and acquaint them with ways of transmission and prevention ... we will also train them in first aid,” said Al-Hobani.
He added that the volunteers, about 10 of them so far, would educate pilgrims on the differences between Hepatitis A, B and C and how each is transmitted.
Norah Al-Maghraby, a 20-year-old nursing student, said that she was volunteering to help pilgrims, especially those who do not know much about Haj. “We want to help pilgrims and at the same time seek God’s reward,” she said.
