The Necessity of Health-Centered Research in Arbaeen Mass Gathering

The Arbaeen Pilgrimage is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, which is held on the 40th day of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the third Imam of Shia. According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), mass gathering refers to a structured or spontaneous event held with the participation of at least 25,000 people at a specific site for a certain duration and purpose (1). More than 20 million people from all around the world march towards Imam Hussein’s shrine in Karbala within 10 to 20 days. The pilgrims walk hundreds of kilometers for a few days to reach Karbala. Religious organizations and the general public are the main providers of water, food, shelter, residence, and treatment facilities for pilgrims.