WHO Announces Hajj Health Card Initiative
GENEVA (Anadolu) – The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday a digital health collaboration with Saudi Arabia on the Hajj health card initiative, which aims to support the approximately 3 million Muslims who travel to the holy city of Mecca each year. The Hajj health card, a new digital health tool built on the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network, uses public key infrastructure to securely summarize critical health information, including pilgrims’ medication needs, allergies, immunization status, and pre-existing conditions, the UN agency said in a statement. Travelers can share their health information with authorized medical providers, ensuring access to accurate, up-to-date patient summaries and aiming to facilitate personalized and high-quality health care during the Hajj pilgrimage, it said.