MAKKAH: A total of 5,681 Malaysian pilgrims have sought treatment at the Tabung Haji (TH) Medical Centres in Madinah and Makkah as well as at health clinics at their accommodation as of yesterday.
Malaysian haj delegation deputy head (medical) Dr Abdul Marsudi Manah said that nearly 30 per cent of pilgrims seeking treatment were due to issues such as coughs, colds, fevers and muscle aches.
“The haj pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, causing pilgrims to be excited to perform umrah and additional tawaf. So, many pilgrims come for treatment due to the dusty, dry and hot environment, a similar trend to previous years.
“With approximately 17,000 pilgrims who have arrived (in the Holy Land), the average number of patients seeking treatment is four per 100 pilgrims, and this figure is considered under control,” he told the media at the TH headquarters yesterday.
Dr Abdul Marsudi, who is also a public health specialist at the Sabah Health Department, said that as of yesterday, 34 individuals were still receiving treatment at the Makkah Medical Centre.
Following this, he said the TH medical team continuously conducts room-to-room visits to remind pilgrims about the importance of wearing face masks, especially in crowded places, despite the COVID-19 situation being under control.
“Wearing face masks is not only to prevent COVID-19 but also other viruses. In the Holy Land, there are pilgrims from hundreds of countries, so we do not know what viruses these pilgrims may carry,” he said.
Dr Abdul Marsudi said that TH is also in constant communication with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health to stay updated on any recommendations and health advice for pilgrims in light of reports of new COVID-19 variants spreading in several countries.
For this year’s haj season, he said 278 medical staff from various disciplines, including medical specialists, medical officers, nurses, assistant medical officers, laboratory support units, nutritionists, dentists and physiotherapists, have been entrusted to serve Duyufurrahman.
Of that number, 40 staff members have experience from previous haj seasons, while the rest are serving in the Holy Land for the first time.
