About six of the 95,000 Nigerians who travelled for this year’s hajj pilgrimage have died while performing the exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The head of the Nigerian medical team for the pilgrimage, Dr Usman Galadima, made this known in Makkah.
During a pre-Arafat meeting with stakeholders, Dr Galadima said two deceased pilgrims were from Osun State and one from Kaduna and Plateau.
He revealed that one of them died of cardiac arrest, and others of illnesses he did not disclose.
Galadima, whose presentation was tagged ‘Vital Events as of June 24, 2023’, also revealed that the team attended to 30 pilgrims with mental health challenges.
He, however, assured that the patients would perform hajj as they “are now in a stable condition.”
The doctor said seven pregnancies were recorded among the pilgrims; two from Sokoto State and one from Adamawa, Kwara, Yobe, Plateau and Katsina.
Galadima also noted that two miscarriages were recorded, while a diabetic pilgrim had his leg amputated.
He said his team offered consultations to a total of 15, 860 Nigerian pilgrims and referred about 100 to Saudi hospitals.
Earlier, the chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikirullah Kunle Hassan, said all the 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims had been airlifted for the exercise.
