Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T15:55:42.131Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation of Hospitals’ Disaster Preparedness Plans in the Holy City of Makkah (Mecca): A Cross-Sectional Observation Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 December 2016

Ali S. Al-Shareef ,
Loui K. Alsulimani ,
Hattan M. Bojan ,
Taha M. Masri ,
Jennifer O. Grimes ,
Michael S. Molloy  and
Gregory R. Ciottone
Ali S. Al-Shareef
Affiliation:
King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science, Department of Emergency Medicine, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Loui K. Alsulimani*
Affiliation:
King Abdulaziz University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians Fellowship in Disaster Medicine, an affiliated fellowship of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Hattan M. Bojan
Affiliation:
Ministry of Health, Emergency and Medical Services Section Head in Makkah Region, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Taha M. Masri
Affiliation:
King Abdulaziz University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Jennifer O. Grimes
Affiliation:
Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians Fellowship in Disaster Medicine, an affiliated fellowship of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Michael S. Molloy
Affiliation:
Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians Fellowship in Disaster Medicine, an affiliated fellowship of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Gregory R. Ciottone
Affiliation:
Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians Fellowship in Disaster Medicine, an affiliated fellowship of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
*
Correspondence: Loui K. Alsulimani, MD, SBEM, ABEM King Abdulaziz University Abdullah Sulayman Jeddah 22254 –Saudi Arabia E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Makkah (Mecca) is a holy city located in the western region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Each year, millions of pilgrims visit Makkah. These numbers impact both routine health care delivery and disaster response. This study aimed to evaluate hospitals’ disaster plans in the city of Makkah.

Methods

Study investigators administered a questionnaire survey to 17 hospitals in the city of Makkah. Data on hospital characteristics and three key domains of disaster plans (general evaluation of disaster planning, structural feasibility of the hospitals, and health care worker knowledge and training) were collated and analyzed.

Results

A response rate of 82% (n=14) was attained. Ten (71%) of the hospitals were government hospitals, whereas four were private hospitals. Eleven (79%) hospitals had a capacity of less than 300 beds.

Only nine (64%) hospitals reviewed their disaster plan within the preceding two years. Nine (64%) respondents were drilling for disasters at least twice per year. The majority of hospitals did not rely on a hazard vulnerability analysis (HVA) to develop their Emergency Operations Plan. Eleven (79%) hospitals had the Hospital Incident Command Systems (HICS) present in their plans.

All hospitals described availability of some supplies required for the first 24 hours of a disaster response, such as: N95 masks, antidotes for nerve agents, and antiviral medications. Only five (36%) hospitals had a designated decontamination area. Nine (64%) hospitals reported ability to re-designate inpatient wards into an intensive care unit (ICU) format. Only seven (50%) respondents had a protocol for increasing availability of isolation rooms to prevent the spread of airborne infection. Ten (71%) hospitals had a designated disaster-training program for health care workers.

Conclusions

Makkah has experienced multiple disaster incidents over the last decade. The present research suggests that Makkah hospitals are insufficiently prepared for potential future disasters. This may represent a considerable threat to the health of both residents and visitors to Makkah. This study demonstrated that there is significant room for improvement in most aspects of hospital Emergency Operations Plans, in particular: reviewing the plan and increasing the frequency of multi-agency and multi-hospital drills. Preparedness for terrorism utilizing chemical, biologic, radiation, nuclear, explosion (CBRNE) and infectious diseases was found to be sub-optimal and should be assessed further.

Al-ShareefAS , AlsulimaniLK , BojanHM , MasriTM , GrimesJO , MolloyMS , CiottoneGR . Evaluation of Hospitals’ Disaster Preparedness Plans in the Holy City of Makkah (Mecca): A Cross-Sectional Observation Study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):33–45.

Keywords

disasteremergency preparednesshospital planningMakkahMecca
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 1 , February 2017 , pp. 33 - 45
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Central Department of Statistics and Information. Population distribution by gender and (Saudis and non-Saudis) in Governorates of Makkah Al-Mokarrmmah region 2010. http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/yb47/Pages/MixChapter2.htm. Published 2011. Accessed January 11, 2016.Google Scholar
2. Arab News. Six million foreign pilgrims performed Umrah. Arab News Web site. http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/six-million-foreign-pilgrims-performed-umrah. Accessed January 11, 2016.Google Scholar
3. BBC News. Schoolgirls die in Mecca stampede. BBC News Web site. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1867039.stm. Accessed January 11, 2016.Google Scholar
4. BBC News. Mecca disaster toll rises to 76. BBC News Web site. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4586678.stm. Accessed January 11, 2016.Google Scholar
5. BBC News. Mecca crane collapse: Saudi inquiry into Grand Mosque disaster. BBC News Web site. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34231620. Accessed January 11, 2016.Google Scholar
6. Alamri, YA. Emergency Management in Saudi Arabia: Past, Present, and Future. In: McEntire DA (ed.). Comparative Emergency Management: Understanding Disaster Policies, Organizations, and Initiatives from Around the World. Denton, Texas USA: FEMA; 2014.Google Scholar
7. Lu, L, Liu, Q, Du, L, Jiang, S. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): challenges in identifying its source and controlling its spread. Microbes Infect. 2013;15(8):625-629.Google Scholar
8. Al-Tawfiq, JA, Memish, ZA. Mass gathering medicine: 2014 Hajj and Umrah preparation as a leading example. Int J Infect Dis. 2014;27:26-31.Google Scholar
9. Memish, ZA, Venkatesh, S, Ahmed, QA. Travel epidemiology: the Saudi perspective. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2003;21(2):96-101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Hick, JL, Hanfling, D, Cantrill, SV. Allocating scarce resources in disasters: emergency department principles. Ann Emerg Med. 2012;59(3):177-187.Google Scholar
11. The Joint Commission. Environment of Care Management Plans. http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/6/EOCManagementPlans.pdf. Published 2013. Accessed January 11, 2016.Google Scholar
12. Kaji, AH, Lewis, RJ. Assessment of the reliability of the Johns Hopkins/Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality hospital disaster drill evaluation tool. Ann Emerg Med. 2008;52(3):204-210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. Kaji, AH, Langford, V, Lewis, RJ. Assessing hospital disaster preparedness: a comparison of an on-site survey, directly observed drill performance, and video analysis of teamwork. Ann Emerg Med. 2008;52(3):195-201.Google Scholar
14. Brevard, SB, Weintraub, SL, Aiken, JB, et al. Analysis of disaster response plans and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: lessons learned from a Level I trauma center. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2008;65(5):1126-1132.Google Scholar
15. Li, X, Huang, J, Zhang, H. An analysis of hospital preparedness capacity for public health emergency in four regions of China; Beijing, Shandong, Guangxi, and Hainan BMC Public Health. 2008;8(1):319.Google Scholar
16. Kollek, D. Canadian emergency department preparedness for a nuclear, biological, or chemical event. CJEM. 2003;5(01):18-26.Google Scholar
17. Rebmann, T, Carrico, R, English, JF. Hospital infectious disease emergency preparedness: a survey of infection control professionals. Am J Infect Control. 2007;35(1):25-32.Google Scholar
18. Fares, S, Femino, M, Sayah, A, et al. Health care system hazard vulnerability analysis: an assessment of all public hospitals in Abu Dhabi. Disasters. 2014;38(2):420-433.Google Scholar
19. Djalali, A, Castren, M, Hosseinijenab, V, Khatib, M, Ohlen, G, Kurland, L. Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) performance in Iran; decision making during disasters. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2012;20(1):14.Google Scholar
20. Allen, GM, Parrillo, SJ, Will, J, Mohr, JA. Principles of disaster planning for the pediatric population. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2007;22(6):537-540.Google Scholar
21. Mason, K, Anderson, MR. Challenges facing pediatric preparedness. Clin Pediatr Emerg Med. 2009;10(3):159-161.Google Scholar
22. Haeri, S, Marcozzi, D. Emergency preparedness in obstetrics. Obstet Gynecol. 2015;125(4):959-970.Google Scholar
23. Fernandez, LS, Byard, D, Lin, CC, Benson, S, Barbera, JA. Frail elderly as disaster victims: emergency management strategies. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2002;17(2):67-74.Google Scholar
24. Niska, RW, Shimizu, I. Hospital preparedness for emergency response: United States, 2008. Natl Health Stat Report. 2011;(37):1-14.Google Scholar
25. Kelen, GD, McCarthy, ML, Kraus, CK, et al. Creation of surge capacity by early discharge of hospitalized patients at low risk for untoward events. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2009;3(S1):S10-S16.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Al-Shareef supplementary material

Appendix

Download Al-Shareef supplementary material(File)
File 21.2 KB