Introduction: Mass gatherings (MGs), such as religious pilgrimages, sporting events, and cultural festivals, present significant public health challenges. The large concentration of people in one location can place substantial strain on local healthcare systems. WHO’s Medical Care Planning for Mass Gatherings guidance provides event organizers with a comprehensive framework to mitigate risks, ensure high-quality medical care, and alleviate pressure on local health services. Methods: The development of this guidance was informed by a systematic review of the existing literature on mass gathering medical care and event health services (EHS). Additionally, a WHO Mass Gathering Workshop brought together public health experts, event organizers, and emergency medical teams (EMTs) to identify critical gaps in current planning standards. These insights were used to adapt the WHO EMT methodology specifically for mass gatherings, ensuring relevance to a variety of global contexts. Results: The guidance outlines ten key domains essential for medical care planning at MGs, including clinical and operational capacity, human resource management, and mass casualty incident response. The team will describe the key concepts underpinning these domains and the areas covered by the guidance. Standards for EHS-EMTs were established to address these needs. The framework also offers practical recommendations on surge capacity, staffing, transport logistics, and patient referral systems, aimed at enhancing preparedness and response capabilities. Conclusion: The WHO guidance addresses a critical gap in global standards for health services at mass gatherings. It offers practical, adaptable solutions that enable event organizers and host countries to enhance health outcomes, improve safety, and ensure a coordinated medical response. By following this framework, future mass gatherings can be managed with greater efficiency, reducing risks to public health.
Glaria et al. (Sun,) studied this question.