challenges and promotion strategies of temporary medical centers in mass gatherings; a qualitative study

Aims: the arbaeen pilgrimage is considered one of the largest annual religious gatherings in the world. a large number of pilgrims participate in this event, which can pose many challenges to their health. these challenges include respiratory, digestive, and infectious diseases, muscle and skeletal problems, various types of trauma, heatstroke or frostbite, and even the recurrence of chronic diseases. this study aimed to examine the challenges faced by military temporary medical centers and identify solutions to overcome these challenges.participants & methods: this qualitative study used in-depth and semi-structured interviews and field observations for data collection. the participants were selected using the purposive sampling method. the research was carried out by observing an approach that maximizes diversity among the target population, comprising managers, healthcare decision-makers, providers, and clients of the military temporary medical centers during the 2024 arbaeen pilgrimage. findings: data saturation was achieved after conducting 15 interviews. by analyzing the data, codes were extracted and organized into two domains, including challenges and promotion strategies. the main categories of challenges included resources and infrastructure, leadership and organization, community and knowledge, and health and safety. in the promotion strategies domain, the main categories included resource optimization, leadership and development, community awareness, and health and safety.conclusion: the main challenges faced by military temporary medical centers are resources and infrastructure, leadership and organization, community and knowledge, and health and safety, while the promotion strategies encompasses resource optimization, leadership and development, community awareness, and health and safety.