….As commission records death of seven pilgrims, 30 mental cases, delivery of a baby, seven pregnancies, others
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has given kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his kind support in ensuring that all eligible 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims were airlifted to the Kingdom of Arabia for the 2023 Hajj operations.
Similarlly, the commission has confirmed that it had so far offerred consultation to 15,860 patients, confirmed the death of seven pilgrims, 7 cases of pregnancies, 2 miscarriages, 8 communicable diseases, and delivery of a seven moths old baby through Cesarean Session.
In his address at a Pre-Arafat meeting with stakeholders on Saturday (June 24, 2023) in Makkah, the NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, appreciated the intervention of the President, and Vice President Senator Kaseem Shettima, saying their kind input was very helpful and supportive.
The NAHCON biss explained that few days ago the commission, out of determination to airlifting all pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, made a reservation of five flights extra in the event that there will be any Nigerians who have a visa but had issue with flight so that the commission would bring them to Saudi Arabia.
He said, “the commission after confirming that all pilgrims had been transported to Saudi Arabia then decided to cancel the five extra flights on June 23”.
According to him, “I want to appreciate the support and guidance of President Bola Tinubu and his Vice President, Kashim Shettima, for their support in many ways which hiirtherto had helped the Commission to achieve good result of airlfiting Nigerians pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year.
“Our being here today is made possible for their support and guidance on the leadership of NAHCON”.
Alhaji Hassan also commended the executive chairmen of the 36 states and the FCT pilgrims welfare boards, agencies and commissions for their support towards ensuring successful transportation of all Nigerian eligible pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage.
He applauded the Association of Umrah and Hajj Tour Operators of Nigeria for working round the clock to ensure the success of the first phase of the 2023 Hajj operation.
Said he, “When the situation of flight was troublesome we were together up to the last moment”.
In his address, the Chief of Operations and Head of Nigerian Medical Team for the 2023 Hajj exercise, Dr Usman Galadima, hinted that NAHCON would be operating eighteen clinics (18) to cater for pilgrims at the Mashã’ir sites.
Dr Galadima also revealed that his team had recorded seven deaths, seven cases of pregnancies, two miscarriages, eight communicable diseases and offer consultation to 15,860 patients, pointing out that his medical team had equally recorded 30 cases of pilgrims with mental health challenge.
He said his team had so far attended to over fifteen thousand eight hundred patients at different NAHCON clinics in both Madinah and Makkah, saying about thirty patients presented mental challenges, eight others were treated for communicable diseases like chicken pox, while seven pregnant pilgrims were attended to, with a delivery of a seven months old baby through cesarian session while another pregnant pilgrim had miscarriage as a result of the stress associated with the Hajj exercise.
The rest were mainly treated for Malaria, cough, other respiratory ailments, joints/body aches and others.In another development.
Earlier, the Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Yahaya Lawal, commended the leadership of NAHCON for its tireless efforts in ensuring the success transportation of Nigerian pilgrims for this year’s Hajj.
