Health as a Priority During a Mega Mass Gathering: A Case Study of the Funeral Procession for Iran’s Martyred Leader, 2026
| Author | Erfan Yousefzadeh | en |
| Author | Mohsen Nouri | en |
| Author | Hesam Seyedin | en |
| Author | Nader Tavakoli | en |
| Author | Abdolreza Pazzouki | en |
| Orcid | Erfan Yousefzadeh [0009-0000-1281-1845] | en |
| Orcid | Mohsen Nouri [0000-0003-4849-8568] | en |
| Orcid | Hesam Seyedin [0000-0001-5614-4052] | en |
| Orcid | Nader Tavakoli [0000-0002-5767-7771] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-10-31 | en |
| Abstract | Introduction: Mega mass gatherings pose substantial challenges to health systems by simultaneously increasing healthcare demand, disrupting routine service delivery, and amplifying epidemiological and operational risks. Evidence describing the real-world performance of health systems during such events, particularly in metropolitan capitals, remains limited. This study aimed to provide a descriptive report of the health system response and its supporting infrastructures during the national funeral mega mass gathering in Tehran, 2026. Case Presentation: A retrospective descriptive case study based on media documentary analysis was conducted. Data were extracted exclusively from reports published by credible national and international news agencies between 29 June and 11 July 2026. Operational information was collected using a structured checklist covering transportation and corridor-based traffic management, crowd management, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), field hospitals, environmental health, food and water safety, emergency accommodation, municipal services, and clinical outcomes. Cross-source triangulation was applied to enhance data reliability. The event involved a cumulative total of 41 - 43 million funeral attendees across Iran and Iraq, including more than 12 million attendees in Tehran on the main funeral day. The response included a corridor-based traffic management strategy, continuous 72-hour metro operations which facilitated the movement of over 14 million passengers, deployment of more than 1,500 EMS personnel, six mobile hospitals, two field hospitals, 18 temporary emergency medical posts, and approximately 25,000 Iranian Red Crescent volunteers. Comprehensive interventions were implemented throughout the event, encompassing environmental health surveillance, heat stress mitigation, food and water safety monitoring, and the provision of distributed emergency accommodation. Among 19,555 healthcare encounters, 3,814 patients received successful on-site clinical interventions including two advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitations. Notably, zero mortality was reported during the event. Conclusions: This study provides a descriptive overview of health system operations and supporting infrastructures during the national funeral mega mass gathering in Tehran. The findings suggest the importance of coordinated planning, intersectoral collaboration, and integrated emergency and public health measures for managing large-scale population events. Further studies using primary operational data are essential to establish a robust evidence base for optimizing health system resilience in such complex scenarios. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.69107/mgmj-173944 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/mgmj/articles/173944 | en |
| Keyword | Mass Gatherings | en |
| Keyword | Funeral Rite | en |
| Keyword | Emergency Medical Services | en |
| Keyword | Community Health Service | en |
| Keyword | Iran | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | Health as a Priority During a Mega Mass Gathering: A Case Study of the Funeral Procession for Iran’s Martyred Leader, 2026 | en |
| Type | Case Report | en |