Guidance for Health Risk Assessment at Recurrent Mass Gatherings: The Jeddah Tool Framework – ADDENDUM

Abstract

A wide range of natural and man-made hazards increases the health risks at mass gatherings (MGs). Building on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM) framework to strengthen preparedness, response, and recovery from health emergencies in the communities and emergency-prone settings, such as MGs. The Jeddah tool is derived from the H-EDRM framework as an all-hazard MG risk assessment tool, which provides a benchmark for monitoring progress made in capacity strengthening over a given period for recurrent MGs. Additionally, it introduces a reputational risk assessment domain to complement vulnerability and capacity assessment matrixes. This paper describes the key elements of the Jeddah tool to improve the understanding of health risk assessment at MGs in the overarching contexts of health emergencies and disaster risk reduction, in line with international goals. for health risk assessment at recurrent mass gatherings: the Jeddah tool framework. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2021;36(3):348-353. Introduction Over time, the definition of mass gatherings (MGs) has been broadened from the consideration of crowd size within a defined period and specified geographical area to prioritizing large gatherings that strain the health resources of the host. 1,2 Mass gatherings tend to be characterized by similar health risks, such as crowd-related incidents, effect of exposure to severe weather events, and the increased transmissibility of communicable diseases, among others. 3,4 Understanding disaster risk is a local and national priority under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which emphasizes an all-hazard and multi-sectorial approach to managing emergencies and disasters. 5 Building on the latter, the World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva, Switzerland) developed the Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM) framework to strengthen community preparedness, response, and recovery from health emergencies. The H-EDRM identifies hazard analysis, vulnerability assessment, and capacity assessment as key elements for periodic routine risk assessment in the community or for ongoing risk assessment in vulnerable settings, such as MGs and refugee-settings. 6 The Jeddah tool is derived from the H-EDRM framework as an all-hazard MG risk assessment tool, which provides a benchmark for monitoring the progress made in capacity strengthening over a given period for recurrent MGs. 7