title: Reducing risks to health and wellbeing at mass gatherings: the role of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
abstract: Mass gatherings of people at religious pilgrimages and sporting events are linked to numerous health hazards, including the transmission of infectious diseases, physical injuries, and an impact on local and global health systems and services. As with other forms of disaster, mass gathering-related disasters are the product of the management of different hazards, levels of exposure, and vulnerability of the population and environment, and require comprehensive risk management that looks beyond single hazards and response. Incorporating an all-hazard, prevention-driven, evidence-based approach that is multisectoral and multidisciplinary is strongly advocated by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. This paper reviews some of the broader impacts of mass gatherings, the opportunity for concerted action across policy sectors and scientific disciplines offered by the year 2015 (including through the Sendai Framework), and the elements of a 21(st) century approach to mass gatherings.
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8UG, England, UK; Epidemiology and Public Health Department, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aitsi-Selmi
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8UG, England, UK; UNISDR Scientific and Technical Advisory Group, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8UG, England, UK; Chatham House Centre on Global Health Security, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heymann
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8UG, England, UK.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McCloskey
authors.affiliation: Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Centre, and Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Esam I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Azhar
authors.affiliation: The Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman; Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Eskild
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (AZ), UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Alimuddin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zumla
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8UG, England, UK; Chatham House Centre on Global Health Security, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK. Electronic address: osman.dar@phe.gov.uk.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dar
mesh_terms: D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D003441:Crowding; D004190:Disasters / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006693:Holidays; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D014195:Travel
keywords: Disaster Risk Reduction; Global Health; Hajj; Mass Gatherings; Policy; Sendai Framework