RRI.CO.ID. Jakarta - The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have started a global campaign called “Safe Medicines, Safe Hajj Journey.” The goal is to protect the health of millions of pilgrims by making sure medicines are safe during Hajj. The campaign involves all 57 OIC member countries.

The timing is set for the start of Hajj season so that health messages reach pilgrims when they need them most. Through this partnership, the SFDA and OIC want to create a clear, unified approach to medication safety and set a new standard for protecting pilgrims’ health worldwide.

Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, CEO of the SFDA, said the focus is on raising awareness, helping people access medicines safely, and improving cooperation with the OIC. He added that working together will strengthen capacity and create lasting benefits for the region and the world.

Meanwhile, OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said the partnership shows solidarity across 57 countries. He emphasized that the health and safety of the Muslim community is the top priority during the Hajj pilgrimage.

The campaign runs on multilingual digital platforms and has three main parts. First, it teaches pilgrims how to keep medicines safe from heat and damage during travel. Second, it provides a standard “Pilgrim Medical Kit” guide. Third, it makes it easier to bring approved medicines into Saudi Arabia through an electronic drug control system, so the process is faster and clearer.

This project also puts the Riyadh Declaration into action by linking medicine regulators across OIC countries. The SFDA and OIC hope this cooperation will build a lasting system for health security, not just for Hajj but for future cross-border health efforts too.

Source: the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation - OIC