Baghdad: The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning regarding an exceptional heat wave anticipated to coincide with this year's Arbaeen pilgrimage, urging for enhanced health and preventative measures to protect millions of pilgrims.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the WHO has called for urgent actions, highlighting that this year's pilgrimage could see the highest temperatures of the current lunar cycle. An official statement released by the WHO on Thursday noted that a pilot assessment of heat-related health risks in Iraq, conducted by its regional office, indicates that daytime temperatures could soar to approximately 45 degrees Celsius and remain above 30 degrees Celsius during the night along significant portions of the pilgrims' routes. This scenario necessitates early preventative measures to safeguard pilgrims, volunteers, healthcare workers, and host communities.
The WHO stressed that the Arbaeen pilgrimage is among the largest annual human gatherings worldwide, with over 22 million pilgrims expected to participate. Many pilgrims undertake the journey on foot over several days, increasing the risk of heat stress, dehydration, and heatstroke due to high temperatures and strenuous activity.
The assessment revealed that 10 out of 18 Iraqi governorates fall within the high-risk category for heat-related illnesses during the summer months, including Karbala, Najaf, and Babylon, alongside several southern governorates along major pilgrimage routes. Southern Iraq experiences roughly 70 days annually with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, occasionally surpassing 50 degrees, making it one of the regions most affected by global warming.
The organization highlighted that direct and prolonged heat exposure could lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, exacerbating chronic diseases, particularly heart, respiratory, and kidney conditions. These risks are heightened by insufficient water intake, prolonged walking, and inadequate rest.
The WHO acknowledged the efforts of the Iraqi government, local authorities, health departments, holy shrines, and volunteers in ensuring pilgrims' safety, while collaborating with partners to enhance health response and emergency preparedness. The WHO Representative in Iraq, Jamila Al-Raabi, emphasized that protecting the health of pilgrims is a shared responsibility, noting that the pilgrimage's concurrence with high temperatures necessitates strengthened preparations and simple preventative measures to reduce heat-related illnesses. Providing safe drinking water, shaded rest areas, and rapid medical care, alongside disseminating health awareness messages, is crucial for saving lives and enabling pilgrims to perform their rituals safely.
The WHO urged relevant authorities to incorporate heat protection measures into all pilgrimage preparations, such as providing drinking water stations, shaded rest areas, enhancing services for diagnosing and treating heat exhaustion, cooling, and rehydration, developing health surveillance and early warning systems, ensuring continuity of electricity and water services in health facilities, intensifying health awareness campaigns, and facilitating access to medical centers and emergency services.
The organization affirmed ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of Health, provincial health departments, holy shrines, and local partners to support Arbaeen pilgrimage preparations by strengthening emergency response capacities, training healthcare personnel, and improving risk communication to ensure the health of millions of pilgrims.
Dr. Al-Raabi emphasized that heat-related illnesses are largely preventable through advance planning, adherence to health guidelines, and cooperation between relevant authorities and pilgrims, ensuring a safe and healthy Arbaeen pilgrimage for all.
The WHO recommended that visitors drink plenty of safe water regularly, take frequent breaks in shaded or cool places, and wear light, loose-fitting clothing. Special attention should be given to the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses. Visitors should adhere to their prescribed medications and carry sufficient supplies. Immediate medical attention should be sought at the nearest health center if symptoms such as dizziness, confusion, or fainting occur.