Srinagar, Feb 09: In view of the deaths of two Kashmiri pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, doctors today urged precautions and recommendations to be followed during the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage, and suggested all pilgrims to visit doctors or competent medical specialists before doing the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage.
Dr Khalid Ur Rehman, MD Physician, Medical Officer J&K Health Department, stated that Haj and Umrah pilgrims should stay hydrated during their pilgrimage.
“The key to staying active during the journey is to stay hydrated. It is recommended that you consume as much water as possible. This not only reduces the risk of heat stroke, but also keeps them energetic and healthy during the journey. You should preferably drink 10 to 12 glasses of water every day, ‘’ he said.
The doctor said if any pilgrim is suffering from morbid conditions like cardio pulmonary and diabetes, he/she should take regular medicines and take extra care and precautions.
‘’It has been noted that many pilgrims who suffer from comorbidities like hypertension forgetto take the medicines which can have major repercussions on their health. Precautions must be taken,” he stated.
Dr Khalid also said that physical activities or exercise daily will help pilgrims to cope with the challenges of the annual pilgrimage. He also said that pilgrims need to take water, juice and snacks with them since there is a different environment and temperature.
He also said that general body hygiene is another important aspect that needs to be taken care of and it is both for men and women.
“Sweating can cause bacterial infection. The pilgrims should wash their hands as frequently as possible, especially before and after using the bathroom, sneezing, coughing, blowing their nose, and eating,” he said. He added that the pilgrims can carry a bottle of hand sanitizer and use it whenever required since there are huge crowds.
The doctor said food poisoning is another issue that should be taken care of during the pilgrimage. “During the pilgrimage one should be extra careful about what to drink and eat. Diarrhoea is, unfortunately, one of the most common health problems that pilgrims suffer during the sacred journey,” he said.
Since pilgrims tend to purchase food from local vendors, there’s a possible chance that they might end up eating something unhealthy, contaminated, or undercooked.
“They should save themselves from food poisoning and be careful about their eating habits. They should have meals on time and avoid overeating,” he said.
Dr Khalid said immunization before starting the journey is a must and pilgrims should not miss the recommended vaccinations like Covid-19 and other Seasonal Influenza.
“Vaccination should also take place before pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia. It is also recommended to take the seasonal and most recent influenza vaccine, especially if you are 65 years or older, pregnant, or have pre-existing medical concerns,” he added.
Dr Saleem Khan, Head Department of Social and Preventive Medicine (SPM) Department, GMC Srinagar, said there should be proper assessment of medical certificates that are issued to the pilgrims before they start their journey.
“The tour operators, travel agents and the concerned stakeholders should also play a responsible role when pilgrims are identified or selected for the pilgrimage. They should do all the check-ups and investigations before they embark on the journey,” he said.
Dr Saleem also said in case critical patients who take the journey should seek the suggestion of doctors and medical practitioners and follow the suggestions.
“At the district level also there should be a medical board where it could be verified that whether any patient having chronic disease could travel or not,” he said.
Dr Saleem said some people have undiagnosed diseases and that gets aggravated until reaching the pilgrimage. “Majority of pilgrims are elderly and there should be proper assessment. During international travel they face a lot of challenges,” he said.
