Evaluation of Hospital Disaster ‎Preparedness in Makkah

Introduction: Muslims all throughout the world consider Makkah to be a sacred city. With an estimated population of 9.03 million out of Saudi Arabia's total population of 34.2 million in 2019, Makkah is a metropolis in the western part of the country. The Saudi government has spent a significant amount of money preventing risks around the Holy Mosque from the standpoint of emergency and disaster management. As part of its overarching duties for the safety and security of the nation, the Saudi government, as represented by the MOH, is the last arbiter in controlling the health repercussions of disaster occurrences. The need for healthcare organisations to create all-hazard disaster preparedness is supported by their susceptibility to dangers. Planning for hospital disaster preparedness is an integral and vital component of any emergency management system that calls for collaboration between numerous outside entities. In order for the Makkah hospitals to be successful and well-prepared, this study set out to assess the level of hospital disaster preparedness.
Methods: Five Likert scales were used in the questionnaire's design. Three indicators were distinguished: structural, non-structural, and human resources. The study evaluated the disaster preparedness for each hospital's disaster preparedness indicators using a sample of 7 hospitals. To analyse the effectiveness of hospital reforms, a tool was created.
Results: The HDP level in the hospitals surveyed was weak. More action is needed for disaster mitigation, including prevention and planning for emergency and evacuation situations at the structural, non-structural, and human resource levels.
Conclusions: Data indicate that the hospitals included in this study lack management and training during disasters and exhibit indicators of disaster preparedness. The study thus focused on hospital disaster readiness. Hospitals need to understand the importance of disaster readiness and that the majority of hospital disaster preparedness is already incorporated into the hospital system.