Document Type : Research articles
Authors
1 1- PhD in Health in Disasters and Emergencies, Trauma Research Center, Shahid Rajaee (Emtiaz) Trauma Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. E-mail: Leyla.mohammadinia@gmail.com/ORCID: 0000-0003-3665-0286 2- Research Center for Emergency and Disaster Resilience, Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran 3- Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, Health and Human Resources Research Center, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
2 1. Research Center for Health Management in Mass Gathering, Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran 2. PhD in Heath in Disasters and Emergencies, Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3 MSc in Disaster Management Information Systems, Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran
4 Onco-Surgeon, Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5 PhD, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Background: The annual religious ritual of Arbaeen is the global largest mass gathering of pilgrims from different countries participating in a mass movement on an 80-km pathway to visit the Shrine of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. The provision of health care for such a mass movement has always been an important vital issue for the health care system.
Objectives: The current study investigated the common illnesses in addition to the quantity of health care services offered by temporary clinics and health stations located on the way to the shrine to such a mass gathering of on-feet pilgrims in Iraq in Arbaeen 2019.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at temporary clinics and health stations where pilgrims in need of nursing, midwifery, and pharmaceutical care were provided with services by general and expert physicians on the way from Najaf to Karbala in Iraq during a week in October 2019.
Results: Imam Reza Temporary Clinic offered services to a total of 26,875 patients, including 9,934 females (36.96%) and 16,941 males (63.04%), on all days of the week. The most common chief complaint reported by the patients were musculoskeletal problems (n=11,945; 21.99%), foot blisters (n=11,372; 20.94%), and skin lesions (n=10,662; 19.62%).
Conclusion: The present study highlighted the need for providing more organized services, especially in emergency health care, and necessity of paying further and closer attention to the significance of the health history of those pilgrims attending such religious mass gatherings in previous years.
Keywords
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