Kwara pilgrims board inoculates 2, 000 intending pilgrims
Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin
The Kwara state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has concluded the inoculation and medical screening of over 2, 000 intending pilgrims travelling for the 2019 hajj.
It was gathered that the medical screening which lasted for three days was conducted for intending pilgrims from the three senatorial districts of the state.
The intending pilgrims during the medical screening underwent blood and urine tests, yellow fever, cerebra-spinal meningitis and pregnancy tests for all female intending pilgrims.
Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh while speaking with our correspondent at the hajj transit camp in llorin, venue of the exercise, said the screening was part of Saudi Arabia’s requirement for the issuance of visas.
According to him, the exercise will also afford the board the opportunity to identify intending pilgrims who are medically sound to undertake the holy pilgrimage.
He described the hajj rites as cumbersome, adding that the exercise could only be carried out by medically fit persons, adding that the board would not hesitate to disqualify any of the intending pilgrims who are not medically fit or found to be pregnant.
“At the end of the screening, if we discover that any of the intending pilgrims cannot undergo the rigorous activities at the holy land, they will be disqualified from participating.
“Also, whoever among the female intending pilgrims that is pregnant will be automatically disqualified,’’ he said.
The executive secretary directed that all aged intending pilgrims should be accompanied by their children or relatives to carry out the hajj rites successfully.
Some of the intending pilgrims commended the board for the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
Meanwhile, the board had also organised series of enlightenment programmes for the over 2, 000 intending pilgrims from across the 16 local government areas of the state.
