MEDINAH – The Pakistani Hajj mission will be providing free treatment to the pilgrims from Pakistan, it has been confirmed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.
The Hajj Mission has established a health facility in the holy city of Medina in this regard which runs round the clock and consists of a team of highly skilled doctors, nurses, and medical staff equipped with all the necessary healthcare equipment and a mini operation theatre.
The facility offers emergency care and ward retention facilities for intending pilgrims, says Dr Waleed, a member of the Pakistani Hajj medical mission.
The health facility is fully equipped with a laboratory, X-ray machine, pharmacy, and dentistry services to provide assistance to any ailing pilgrims and there is a retention facility and dispensary that provide free medicines to patients.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony claims that the staff is trained to handle a wide range of medical issues, including the diagnosis and treatment of common illnesses, injuries, and other health-related challenges that may arise during the pilgrimage.
The Ministry has announced the establishment of two health centers in Mecca and Medina, where pilgrims can get medical care. In this regard, an official helpline(800 1166622) has also been launched for information related to the pilgrimage.
The Hajj operation is in full swing nowadays and pilgrims from Pakistan as well as other countries are landing in the Holy Kingdom.
The government of Pakistan had set Hajj expenses at Rs1.175 million per pilgrim, 68% more than the last year’s expenses which apparently became a reason for many of Muslims to avoid performing the ritual amid skyrocketing inflation.
It is noteworthy that this is the first time Saudi Arabia would be welcoming pilgrims in large numbers i.e around 2.3m after the pandemic restrictions have been lifted. Around one million people joined the 2022 Hajj season and only those in age bracket 18 to 65 who were fully vaccinated or immunized against the virus and did not suffer from chronic diseases were allowed to visit the kingdom.
