Seven Pregnancies, 30 Mental Cases Discovered Among Nigerian Pilgrims While in Makkah.
By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, in Makkah
The Medical Mission to the 2023 Hajj operation has so far discovered and reported seven pregnancy cases among Nigerian female pilgrims who have been attended to at different clinics across Makkah and Madinah.
The Medical Mission has also treated 30 psychiatric cases among Nigerian pilgrims since the clinics opened for this year’s Hajj operation about a month ago.
The Head of the Medical Mission to the Hajj operation, Dr Usman Galadima, made this known in a presentation at a Pre-Arafat briefing organised by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in Makkah on Saturday night.
Dr Galadima disclosed that out of the seven pregnant women that have so far been discovered, one was delivered of a baby via cesarian session when the foetus was seven month old while another pregnant woman had a miscarriage due to the stress of the Hajj exercise.
He lamented that this year, there is a high turnout of pilgrims who as a result of pregnancy, old age or life threatening illnesses are supposed to be certified “NOT FIT to travel” which means they are not supposed to be allowed to come for Hajj.
The doctor also called on the authorities at state levels to be thorough in screening intending pilgrims to ensure pregnant women, elderly ones and people with serious illnesses are not allowed to be in Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
He listed the states that produced the seven pregnant women to include Sokoto (2), Katsina (1), Yobe (1), Adamawa (1), Kwara (1) and Plateau (1).
For the pilgrims with mental cases, Dr Galadima said they all have been treated and have been certified fit to continue the Hajj rites.
