New Delhi: Ninety-eight Indian pilgrims have tragically lost their lives in Saudi Arabia during this year’s Hajj, the government announced on Friday. Officials clarified that all deaths were due to natural illnesses and old age.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Around 1,20,000 pilgrims undertook the Haj pilgrimage this year from India, of which approximately 40,000 are elderly people above the age of 60.
- The pilgrimage involves extensive periods of walking and prayer, occurring amidst extreme temperatures in Saudi Arabia, which soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) this week. Given the harsh weather conditions this year, the health challenges have necessitated round-the-clock services for the pilgrims.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), heat-related conditions claim the lives of at least half a million people annually.
Medical Care Arrangements For Hajj Pilgrimage
- Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra unveiled a comprehensive document titled “Medical Care Arrangements for Haj Pilgrimage” today, in partnership with the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
- The event, attended by Mohammed Shahid Alam, Consul General of India in Jeddah via virtual platform, along with representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other stakeholders, highlighted collaborative efforts to ensure robust health measures for Haj pilgrims, as per an official statement.
- Apurva Chandra on the occasion stated that “this document lays the roadmap of the health services and how those services can be availed of by the pilgrims.”
- The Union Health Ministry’s medical care arrangements for Haj include several key measures: revising the medical screening and fitness certification processes for Haj applicants in India, issuing health cards to selected pilgrims for their journey and stay in Saudi Arabia (KSA).
- Additionally, supplying vaccines to states to conduct vaccination camps, setting up Health Desks at embarkation points, deploying healthcare personnel with the assistance of the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), and establishing medical infrastructure at designated sites in KSA selected by MoMA.
