Guardians of the sacred: SRCA and university volunteers unite to shield pilgrims
ARAFAT: Beneath Makkah's unrelenting sun, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, or SRCA, and university volunteers have engineered a sanctuary of safety for Hajj 2025.
From SRCA's 7,517 paramedics to Umm Al-Qura University's medical students, this human tapestry works in lockstep across Islam's holiest sites.
The SRCA's logistical symphony spans 578 ambulances, nine helicopter surveillance teams and 80 rapid-response vehicles threading through human currents.
Mobility support includes 500 electric scooters and 205 golf carts pre-positioned at ritual grounds, while 633 logistics specialists orchestrate medical supply chains.
Fourteen emergency clinics and 32 first-aid stations anchor operations, with nine ambulance buses drilled for mass casualties.
Volunteers confront predictable yet constant health threats. Kholood Abdulwasea, an SRCA volunteer who traveled from Madinah to serve in Makkah, reported: 'The cases we face, mostly they were having heat exhaustion. Some of them had hypoglycemia.' She credited mitigation efforts: 'It wasn't much because of the water sprays and the efforts put into providing water.'
Medical students corroborated this clinical landscape. Rawabi Omar Al-Arabi, a fifth-year Umm Al-Qura University medical student leading the Systematic Hajj Program, cited heatstroke, dehydration and hypoglycemia as predominant issues.
Jannah Halawani, a second-year peer heading the Media Committee, expanded the list, as she told Arab News: 'Heatstroke, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, plus fractures or wounds needing stitches.'
Coordinating 10,000 caregivers across shifting pilgrim tides presented particular hurdles. Al-Arabi highlighted accommodation logistics as her team's steepest challenge: 'Coordinating large volunteer groups across field hospitals while ensuring 24/7 oversight. That's the toughest part.'
Transportation emerged as another pressure point. Halawani emphasized the complexity of reaching ritual sites such as Arafat and Mina, calling it a 'massive time and coordination' effort.
Beyond statistics, the human spirit defined the mission. Abdulwasea called her contribution an enduring honor: 'It was a good day and I'm honored to be part of this noble mission.'
For university volunteers, the experience resonated deeper. Al-Arabi described serving pilgrims as 'life-changing,' stressing that sacrificing seven days with family was 'worth every second' for the privilege of honoring Allah's guests.
Halawani captured the sentiment: 'An indescribable privilege. Being chosen by Allah to serve Hajj pilgrims honors both the location and the moment. If you get this chance? Grab it. It's truly unmissable.'
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