(CTN News) – This year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia claimed the lives of 98 Indian pilgrims, according to the government. The Foreign Ministry stated that all deaths were caused by “natural causes. According to the administration, 1,75,000 Indians have already visited Saudi Arabia for hajj this year. “We will do all we can for the Indians there,” he declared.
Hajj Pilgrimage Sees 1,081 Deaths Globally, 98 Indians Among Them
Around ten countries have reported 1,081 deaths during the trip, which is one of Islam’s five pillars and requires all Muslims with the means to participate at least once. The hajj, which is timed according to the lunar Islamic calendar, took place again this year during the scorching Saudi summer.
Despite the fact that the temperature in Saudi Arabia reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) this week, pilgrims walk for hours and pray.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that heat kills at least half a million people each year, but cautions that the true figure could be up to 30 times higher.
The Union Health Ministry today presented a document outlining the path for health services and how pilgrims might access them.
The medical care arrangements include revising the medical screening and fitness certificate used to assess the health and fitness of hajj applicants in India, providing health cards to selected pilgrims for their journey, supplying vaccines to states for vaccination camps, establishing health desks at embarkation points, deputing healthcare personnel, and establishing medical infrastructure at various sites.
Preference will be given to candidates with prior experience in Hajj and Umrah-related work, as well as proficiency in languages commonly spoken by pilgrims such as Uzbek, Persian, Chinese, or Malay.
This initiative underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to ensuring the safety, comfort, and seamless experience of pilgrims undertaking the sacred journey of Hajj.
As preparations intensify in the lead-up to the pilgrimage season, the Kingdom reaffirms its dedication to facilitating this spiritual pilgrimage for Muslims worldwide.
