The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCO) has said another female pilgrim from Sokoto state had died in the city of Madinah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
NAHCON’s Head of Medical Team in Madinah, Dr Hamidu Liman, told journalists, that an elderly woman whose funeral was conducted last Friday spent four days in the intensive care unit at Al-Ansar Hospital before she died.
Dr Liman said the deceased had severe medical issues from Nigeria and that her condition got worse when she arrived Saudi Arabia.
Dr Lima said “she was appropriately received at NAHCON’s clinic. As soon as we reviewed her case, we realised that it was something that required a specialist’s attention. We referred her to Al-Ansar Hospital.
“She was in their Intensive Care Unit for four days before we unfortunately lost her. The appropriate authorities have been informed. Alihamdulillah, the janaza (funeral rite) was conducted last Friday in Madinah. And she has been buried accordingly. May Allah bless her soul and grant her Aljanatu firdaus. Aameen,” he said.
He said the four clinics established in Madinah for convenience of the pilgrims had treated over 5,000 patients, and most reported cases were fatigue, body pain, and headache.
He stated that some of the patients came occasionally with previous medical problems like hypertension, diabetes, and asthma from Nigeria.
Dr Liman said cases of frank psychiatric illnesses and pathological fracture that could not be handled by the clinics were appropriately referred to Al – Ansar Hospital in Madinah for prompt medical attention.
He said that two persons who had fractures due to accidental fall from slippery floor and another elderly woman from minor domestic accident (pathological fracture) had been treated and discharged.
“These cases were developed here. They fell from slippery floor because our people are not used to tiles. The good thing is that all these cases were appropriately referred to Al-Ansar Hospital.
“They had open reduction and internal fixation. Two have been discharged and they have moved to Makkah. One is going to be discharged today. Then, we take her back to pilgrims’ residence for movement to Makkah,” he said.
He said the four clinics in Madinah had doctors, nurses, pharmacists, appropriate drugs, and five ambulances to cater for the welfare of the pilgrims.
Dr Liman said states had separate arrangements for the pilgrims’ welfare, noting that most of the states reserve their ambulances for Makkah operations.
He urged the intending pilgrims to do exercise regularly right from home and assess the status of their health before coming for Hajj which is a rigorous exercise that requires a lot of movement and trekking.
The latest death brought to two the number of Nigerian pilgrims who had died in Saudi Arabia.
A female Katsina pilgrim had earlier died in her sleep in Makkah last week from myocardial infarction which is secondary to hypertensive heart disease.
