Background: The unique mass gathering of hajj represent substantial international public health burden with subsequent challenge for the health authorities in the host country. In this respect, Saudi Arabia, through updated comprehensive plan is providing preventive as well as curative services to more than two million pilgrims every season. To achieve this, a large number of health workers are moved to cover health services throughout the whole path of the pilgrims. Preparedness and compliance of the health workers to the guidelines are crucial for successful outcome. As there is paucity of researches in this era, the current study aim at assessment of the preparedness and compliance of the health workers at one of the main entry gates during hajj season in 1436 H /2015

Subjects and Methods: Through a cross section design, a sample of 112 health workers sharing work at King Abdul Aziz international airport during hajj were interviewed using semi structured questionnaire reflecting their preparedness to participate in work at airport as well as observing their compliance to guidelines while providing international recommended tasks.

Main Results: Most of the participants (88; 78.6%) received recommended immunization before hajj, only one quarter of the participants previously attended training courses about international health regulations (25; 22.3%) and personal preventive measure (33; 29.5%). Their overall response to key items reflecting their preparedness to provide adequate preventive measures accounted for 55.5%; the participants who attended training courses before hajj had significantly better achievements. All health workers were checking immunization cards for each pilgrim (111; 99.9%), most of them were wearing gloves (94; 83.9%) and only one half of them (56; 50.9%) were fitting face masks properly.

Conclusion and Recommendations: Although that the participants showed fair preparedness to work in King Abdul Aziz international airport during hajj season, better achievement was observed among those who reported that they had received training courses about international health regulations and personal preventive measures before attending Hajj season, which calls for the necessity of future mandatory enrollment in such training courses for all health workers before sharing work in hajj.  

Keywords: Preparedness, Performance, Health Care Workers, Immunizations, Preventive Health Measures, Infectious Diseases.

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Amal H. Al Ghamdi

Community Medicine Consultant, Post-graduate lecturer and trainer at The Saudi Board, Joint Program of Community Medicine & Preventive Medicine, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia