The Ghanaian Minaret

Accra: Rukaya Siita, a member of the Ghana Hajj Medical Team, has advised persons with chronic medical conditions seeking to embark on Hajj to consult their physicians before travelling.

Doing so, she said, would allow for thorough medical screening and getting adequate medication to last the month-long journey.

“Go in for a check-up. And when packing, don’t pack only dresses and food; pack medication as well, as it is going to help us,” she said.

She was speaking at a health sensitisation workshop organised by the medical team of the Ghana Hajj Taskforce.

The member of the medical team who is a nurse observed that lack of medical preparation for the journey by pilgrims often limits the ability of the medical team to provide the adequate intervention should there be an emergency.

She noted that staying fit was a key factor for going through the Hajj rituals, hence the need for pilgrims to pay more attention to their health status.

“If you are hypertensive, have diabetes or happen to be asthmatic, please go see your doctor from now to May 11 and carry a lot of your medication,” she said.

Dr Abdul Rahman Gomda, a member of the medical team, also encouraged potential pilgrims to take part in the health screening exercise that the Hajj task force will be organising on Saturday.

He explained that the exercise was meant to provide authorities with a fair idea of the medical conditions of pilgrims so that adequate preparations are made.

“We have been told by the authorities that there would be so much heat,” he added.

Pilgrims are also required to take vaccinations for meningitis, yellow fever and poliomyelitis.

Ghana will officially commence the airlifting of Hajj pilgrims from May 10, 2025, beginning with flights from Tamale in the Northern region to Madinah in Saudi Arabia.

The airlifting will be carried out in two phases where six flights would be deployed for pilgrims in Tamale and another six flights for the second batch of pilgrims stationed in Accra.

A 17-member advance team also departed on Saturday to Saudi Arabia in anticipation of the arrival about 5000 Ghanaian Hajj pilgrims.