Mass Gathering Medicine: An Indian Perspective

According to the World Health Organisation, a mass gathering is a gathering of persons that is usually defined as the congregation of more than a specified number of people at a specific location for a specific purpose for a defined period of time. Due to the sheer number of people involved, it is an important public health challenge. Therefore, certain considerations for health promotion and prevention activities have to be taken care of, in context with mass gatherings. These include, amongst others, identifying, through risk assessment and historic surveillance, the most probable public health and communicable disease threats; development of appropriate health promotion and prevention education messages and tools; travel health recommendations – including for immunizations and safe practices. In the Indian context, this topic is very relevant both from the point of view of modern events like concerts as well as the age old traditions of Melas. The largest annual mass gathering in the world is the hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca, while the Kumbh Mela is the biggest and the most important mass gathering in India, taking place periodically. Although the estimate of the number of pilgrims who come for bathing in the holy waters on the most auspicious day varies, yet it is important to calculate the requirements for this public health challenge, based on approximate numbers and be prepared at all times.