Umm Al-Qura University
During their sixth and last session at the Eighteenth Scientific Forum for Hajj and Umrah Research, the participants discussed four studies on environment and health. A number of researchers at the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research started the session with a recommendation to create an evaporating cell with specific dimensions and special protection depth to estimate the final dimensions of the proposed unit in order to absorb the entire liquid waste. Such recommendation aimed to preserve the environmental situation, especially regarding the groundwater, in Fajj Al-Hirman Valley. This also would increase environmental and economic feasibility and achieve integrated environmental sustainability in the valley.
In this context, statistics presented by the researchers indicated that the total amount of waste from slaughtered animals in the 1438H pilgrimage season reached about 33075 tons out of 750 thousand sacrifices. Specifically, the total sacrifice waste of blood and washing and cleanliness water was estimated at 11 m3. Therefore, a sample of a pilot evaporating cell for a sample of sacrifice liquid waste (4.65 m3) was prepared by the researchers of the Institute. It is worth mention that the researchers were Dr. Essam Morsi, Dr. Turki Habibullah, Dr. Abdullah As-Sebaey, Dr. Bassam Mashat, Dr. Ibrahim Hussein, Dr. Fathy Shaaban, Dr. Omar Basheer, Dr. Sayyed Monir, Dr. Safwat Jabr, Dr. Waleed Abusso’oud, as well as Dr. Osama Atallah. The results showed total evaporation of effluents within 35 days from the date of their receipt on 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
On the other hand, and regarding the "Characterization of Infectious Diseases in Hajj,” Dr. Omar Basheer called for the need to monitor infectious diseases and expand the framework of studies to include new and reported diseases, laboratory data and hospital infections. He also stressed the necessity to accelerate the monitoring of pilgrims’ health and convert data into information to be able to make and implement the right decisions, programs and practices.
Another participation in the session was by Dr. Walaa Saeed from the College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University. She presented a proposal to raise awareness among and educate working women on how to prepare healthy meals of high quality to be invested in the seasons of Hajj and Umrah through a training program. In this she depended on the study of the level of knowledge and application of productive families in Madinah regarding the concepts of quality and safety of food provided to pilgrims.
Dr. Walaa Saeed also pointed out that the Saudi Vision 2030 confirmed its concern with the community health and economic welfare through its strategic objectives and indicators. For example, the percentage of household savings from their total income was raised from 6% to 10%. Moreover, the participation rate of women in the labor market increased from 22% to 30%. Besides, the Ministry of Health (MOH) had been preparing programs and activities with the aim of reinforcing health awareness within society against chronic diseases and combatting the dangerous factors leading to such diseases.
The session also included a research entitled, " Determining the Standards for the Garments of Ihram in the Light of Modern Technological Changes” by both Dr. Nadia Abdulghafour Al-Andijany and Dr. Yasser Eid from the Designs College, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU). The research concluded that the Bamboo material outperformed cotton and smart PCM textiles in assessing the results of the functionalities studied. As regards the rest of the other variants of fur production, the least fur height (4 mm) and density (60/cm2) showed the best results in bamboo. In addition, the direction of equalized fur on the two faces of the fabric was better than the direction of alternating fur.
Within the same framework, the two researchers pointed out that the material used in manufacturing the Ihram garments were not satisfactory enough. In other words, they did not provide thermal comfort, resistance to bacteria and fungus and UV protection, which affected the optimal performance of rituals. Thus, it was necessary to produce Ihram garments within the limits of modern technological changes.
