BMC's Climate Action

Batterjee Medical College (BMC) demonstrates a steadfast commitment to climate action by integrating environmental awareness, carbon footprint reduction, and disaster resilience into its educational mission, research initiatives, campus operations, and community outreach. During the 2025, BMC realized this commitment through targeted programs that linked climate change and environmental factors to public health, expanded green coverage through large-scale afforestation, promoted circular economy practices, and strengthened emergency preparedness.

Afforestation and Green Coverage Expansion (Climate Mitigation)

BMC actively contributes to carbon sequestration and campus microclimate improvement by expanding green spaces in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 environmental protection objectives:

• "We Plant It for Sustainability" Initiative (1,000 Seedlings Planted): In implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA) in the Makkah Region, the BMC Social Responsibility Unit executed a major campus-wide tree-planting campaign. The initiative resulted in planting 1,000 seedlings across BMC facilities to increase green coverage and enhance the quality of the campus environment.

• "Adopt a Plant" Campus Initiative: This interactive event engaged male and female students in planting flora across BMC's outdoor gardens and painting pots to adopt plants for home care, reinforcing personal environmental responsibility.

• Youth Agricultural & Environmental Education (School Forum): During the School Medical Specialties Forum, BMC partnered with the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture to engage visiting high school students in hands-on seedling potting activities, raising youth awareness of sustainable agriculture and environmental volunteerism.

Environmental Health, Air Quality, and Public Health Outreach

Recognizing that climate change and environmental degradation directly impact human health, BMC’s academic programs led specialized awareness and preventive screening campaigns:

• Respiratory Health & Air Quality Awareness ("A Detection Starts With a Breath"): The Respiratory Therapy Program conducted an outreach campaign and on-site Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) for employees of SAGA Company. The initiative educated participants on lung health, early detection of respiratory diseases linked to environmental and air quality factors, and preventive care practices.

• Sustainable Architecture & Preventive Health ("How Buildings Can Prevent Disease"): Hosted by the Medical Innovation Club, as the inaugural session of "The Importance of Innovation in Prevention" series, this workshop examined the intersection of sustainable architectural design and medicine, demonstrating how resource-efficient, healthy building environments prevent disease in alignment with Vision 2030.

• Environmental & Public Health Education ("The Health Through Knowledge" & "Peer Power"): The Health Management Program organized "The Health Through Knowledge" on November 4, 2025—featuring environmental health and viral disease discussions during a peer-exchange visit to Jeddah International College—and collaborated with the Community Responsibility Unit on April 30, 2026, to deliver "Peer Power: Public Health Education for All".

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Resilience (Climate Adaptation)

Building healthcare and community capacity to respond to emergencies and disasters is a core pillar of SDG 13 climate adaptation:

• National Blood Donation & Disaster Resilience ("Imitation and Giving"): On September 11, 2025, in collaboration with the Jeddah First Health Cluster, the BMC Social Responsibility Unit contributed to the national voluntary blood donation campaign to secure a sustainable blood supply that enhances emergency preparedness and resilience to disasters.

• Hospital Risk Assessment & Crisis Management Training: On October 30, 2025, Level 4 Health Management students conducted a field visit to the Risk and Safety Department at King Abdullah Medical Complex (KAMC) as part of their Risk and Crisis Management coursework, examining institutional risk assessment processes, incident reporting systems, and emergency preparedness plans.

• Field Emergency Response & First Aid Capacity Building: BMC students actively volunteered with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority to provide field first aid services at the Jeddah Corniche (November 20–26, 2025) and served pilgrims in the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Saudi and International Volunteer Day alongside Civil Defense efforts (December 5, 2025). Additionally, BMC delivered hands-on CPR and emergency first aid workshops to Red Sea Global students (November 4, 2025), middle school students (April 14, 2026), and the campus community during the Annual Sports Day (April 14, 2026).

Low-Carbon Campus Operations, Digitalization, and Circular Economy

BMC has implemented concrete operational measures to reduce transport emissions, eliminate paper waste, and promote eco-friendly consumption across its supply chain:

• Consolidated Low-Emission Meal Delivery (Al-Izdihar & Al-Rafah Trading Co. – Zd Meals): This corporate nutrition agreement provides BMC staff and students with healthy 20-workday lunch packages while mandating consolidated batch delivery to campus facilities (requiring a minimum of 10 subscribers per cycle), curbing single-vehicle delivery trips and associated carbon emissions.

• Paperless Digital Transformation & Remote Learning: BMC reduced paper consumption and commuting emissions by onboarding students to fully digital academic and testing platforms—including SIS, Blackboard, and the QQ Assessment Solution—during Orientation Week, expanding online learning partnerships with edX and the Virtual Medical Academy (VMA), and adopting paperless electronic contract execution with Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors (Hyundai), automated electronic payment systems with Amwal Tech, and interactive digital donation terminals with Karam Association.

• Circular Resource Reuse & Chemical Reduction: The 4th Annual Book Swap organized by the Medicine Program, promoted the reuse of printed books across all academic programs to reduce paper demand, while the DIY Skincare Workshop hosted by the Health & Beauty Club on November 18, 2025, trained students to create natural, chemical-free products that minimize synthetic chemical waste and plastic packaging.

Through this integrated approach, combining large-scale campus afforestation, environmental health screenings, disaster preparedness training, and low-carbon digital operations, BMC solidifies its leadership in advancing Climate Action and cultivating a healthier, more sustainable future.