MAKKAH: The Pilgrims Fund Board or Tabung Haji (TH) is stepping up measures, including conducting room to room visits, to prevent Malaysian pilgrims from being infected with any illnesses or diseases.
TH public health unit head Dr Johari Awang Besar said all Malaysian pilgrims had been briefed on disease prevention and hoped that they would apply their knowledge and exercise hygiene so that they would be able to perform their pilgrimage smoothly.
“For a more effective preventive measures, we will go from room to room to advise the pilgrims and check their health,” he told reporters here yesterday.
This year, some 30,200 Malaysians will be performing the haj pilgrimage, with more than 13,000 of them already here and in Madinah. They will be assisted by 640 TH workers.
Johari said his team of four permanent staff also identified pilgrims with health risks, and so far had identified 35 people.
“These health risk pilgrims are eligible to come to the holy land, but in their medical records state they are diagnosed with illnesses, like kidney problem and require haemodialysis treatment.
“These (health-risk) pilgrims, we have to tell and check on them always, so that they take their medicines, and also to tell them not to be too aggressive so as not to affect their health,” he added. — Bernama
