منطقة الجوف-جامعة الجوف

Two medical students from Jouf University, Yousef Al-Enezi and Talal Al-Enezi, won first place at the Hajj Health and Security Forum Hackathon with their innovative project, “Vital Gate,” a smart solution that employs technology and artificial intelligence to enhance field-based health response and improve the management of emergency cases among crowds in the holy sites.

This achievement came as part of the activities of the third edition of the Hajj Health and Security Forum, organized by the General Directorate of Medical Services at the Ministry of Interior under the patronage of HRH Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz. The forum’s closing ceremony witnessed HRH honoring the winning hackathon projects in recognition of their innovative solutions aimed at improving the quality of health and security services provided to pilgrims.

“Vital Gate” is a smart health triage system designed to detect critical cases early among large crowds before patients reach the hospital. It enables security personnel, volunteers, and field teams to identify high-risk health indicators, classify cases, and direct them to the appropriate pathway quickly and efficiently. This contributes to reducing response time, increasing chances of survival, and enhancing the readiness of field teams operating in high-density environments.

The project is based on the globally recognized NEWS2 algorithm for health assessment. It operates through three main stages: monitoring, triage, and immediate case routing. This allows initial handling of critical cases without requiring a specialized physician at the first triage point, while providing field teams with a rapid indicator that supports timely and effective decision-making.

The President of Jouf University, Prof. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Shaya, stated that the first-place win by the two medical students in this national hackathon, and their honoring among the winning projects by HRH the Minister of Interior, represents a distinguished achievement added to the record of the university and its students. He noted that the accomplishment reflects the capabilities of Jouf University’s young talents in transforming medical knowledge into practical solutions with a direct impact on serving the nation and the pilgrims.

He said:
“Jouf University takes pride in its creative students, who have demonstrated their ability to compete and innovate in distinguished national platforms, and to translate their academic knowledge into practical projects that serve people and support vital sectors. The ‘Vital Gate’ project represents a promising model of integrating medical education with modern technologies and artificial intelligence, in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to improve service quality, enhance digital transformation, and advance the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem.”

Prof. Al-Shaya further emphasized that the university will continue to support its students and empower them to participate in national and international competitions and hackathons. He added that Jouf University is committed to providing an educational and research environment that fosters innovative thinking and entrepreneurship, and helps transform creative ideas into applicable projects that serve society and contribute to the university’s strategic objectives in innovation, applied research, community service, and national development.

Jouf University affirmed that this achievement reflects its growing presence in the health, technology, and innovation sectors. It also highlights the university’s role in preparing competitive national talents capable of contributing to the development of quality solutions that enhance quality of life, elevate the level of services provided to pilgrims, and strengthen the university’s position as an active partner in serving the nation and achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.