JEDDAH/RIYADH, 3 January 2004 — Seven government departments have worked out an integrated crowd control strategy for the ritual stoning at Jamrat during the peak days of Haj, when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims cram the area.
Dr. Muhammad Idrees, a senior official of the King Fahd Haj Research Institute, said the plan divides responsibilities among the seven departments.
“Adequate measures have been taken to ensure better crowd management on the Jamrat bridge,” Al-Nadwa Arabic daily quoted Idrees as saying. The plan includes dispatching the pilgrims in groups to Jamrat for the ritual.
More than 2.5 million pilgrims from 160 countries are expected to perform Haj this year.
The stoning of pillars representing Satan in Mina by hundreds of thousands of faithful still poses a big challenge for the Haj managers.
Over the past few years, hundreds of pilgrims have died in stampedes at Jamrat as large masses of pilgrims rush to the area often ignoring warnings from officials, especially the first and last day of stoning, Dul Hijjah 10 and 12.
The Haj research institute, an affiliate of Umm Al-Qura University, has been conducting several of studies on crowd management at Jamrat and has made a number of proposals to ensure smooth flow of pilgrims in the area.
In addition to the Haj Ministry and the institute, the Health Ministry, the Departments of Public Security and Civil Defense, the Saudi Red Crescent Society and Makkah municipality will take part in the plan.
The plan includes measures to limit the number of pilgrims heading toward the Jamrat and immediate deployment of special forces to disperse people in case of a stampede.
Movement of pilgrims inside the Jamrat area will be closely monitored through closed-circuit television.
Pilgrims will be told to leave the area quickly after completing the stoning. Special arrangements have been made to rescue pilgrims trapped in stampedes or fainting as a result of overcrowding.
“A joint committee of the seven departments will start working from Dul Hijjah 7,” Idrees said.
The Haj Ministry will coordinate with Tawafa organizations to stagger admission of pilgrims to the Jamrat in small groups; Public Security will control movement of pilgrims; the Makkah municipality will ensure cleanliness in the area; the Civil Defense is responsible for rescue operations; the Red Crescent will transport the injured to hospitals; and the Health Ministry will make arrangements to provide medical services.
Haj Minister Iyad Madani has urged all agencies and organizations involved to provide the best possible services to the guests of God. “We will show no leniency toward the negligent,” he added.
The minister also advised Tawafa organizations to prevent strangers from entering their tents in the holy sites of Mina and Arafat to ensure the safety of pilgrims.
The Ministry of Health, meanwhile, has intensified disease prevention and control measures at all entry points.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Jeffri, the director of parasitic and infectious diseases at the Ministry of Health, told Arab News 1,028 doctors and paramedical staff were deployed at the borders to carry out inspections. The incidence of infectious diseases in the pilgrimage areas was within the normal range so far, he added.
Pilgrims from areas previously affected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) will be scanned with electronic thermal cameras to measure their body temperature. “It’s the first time we have installed these cameras during Haj as part of our effort to prevent the SARS virus getting into pilgrim areas,” he said.
Al-Jeffri said that if the temperature reading is above normal, pilgrims will be checked and treated.
“We have also produced brochures covering important health issues in English and other languages as part of the ministry’s awareness campaign,” he added.
The ministry has also posted health education materials on its website — www.moh.gov.sa — to educate pilgrims about SARS and other diseases. It also recommends preventive measures and issues a travel advisory. “No SARS infection has been reported in the Kingdom, but the online information will help people to learn more about SARS,” he said.
To prevent a meningococcal meningitis outbreak during Haj, he said vaccination with quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine is mandatory for all pilgrims. A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is also required for people from countries where the disease is endemic.
Al-Jeffri also advised pregnant women and children — two groups highly vulnerable to infectious diseases — to avoid pilgrimage if possible.
