Hajj 2018: NAHCON revises medical provision for pilgrims

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), says measures are in place to ensure provision of qualitative medical services to pilgrims during Hajj 2018.
To this end, the commission has set up a National Medical Team comprising health workers from across all the states and Abuja.
The head of the medical team, Ibrahim Kana, who gave an update to PREMIUM TIMES on the preparations so far said an orientation and training workshop has been held for the team two weeks ago.
“They (the team) had training on Electronic Health Medical Records system, Lassa Fever Infection, Prevention and Control (by the Port Health) as well as ethics of medical team during Hajj,” he said.
The doctor, who represents the Ministry of Health in the board of NAHCON, also said they have provided all the vaccines required for this year’s Islamic pilgrimage.
Speaking specifically on Yellow fever and other important vaccinations, Mr Kana said arrangements has been concluded for even private tour operators.
“The Ministry of Health has introduced a new E-Yellow cards. The plan we have put in place is to link officials from the states to our port health officials for documentation, payment and issuance;
“This is different from previous years because state pilgrims board would have to provide biodata of all pilgrims to the port health officials, and the yellow cards would then be generated and issued on LGA basis,” he said.
Mr Kana also said NAHCON chairman, Abdullahi Mohammed, has given approval for the procurement of all requested drugs.
He said all drugs required for use both in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia will be available in the coming weeks.
“More computers are being procured to consolidate the Electronic Health Medical Records system which we introduced into our clinics in 2017,” he said.
Last year, many pilgrims complained of the long distance they had to trek to access Nigerian clinics in Makkah.
To this end, Mr Kana said, with the completion of accommodation arrangements by all states, “clinics would now be selected as proximal as possible to the pilgrims.”