…Nigerian pilgrim gave birth during hajj rites
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has expressed concern over the number of pregnant women that sneaked into Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj.
The commission’s head of Nigerian Medical Team, Dr. Usman Galadima, who disclosed this Wednesday during a chat with members of the National Media Team, lamented that such women were exposed to medical risk.
He revealed that one of the pregnant women had to be assisted to put to birth while others had to be referred to a women hospital for proper medical attention and care.
Dr. Galadima, who condemned the act of sneaking pregnant women to Saudi Arabia for hajj, said there was a surge in the number of pilgrims in need of medical care because those with underlying illnesses came to the holy land without their authorised medication.
Though Saudi security at the airports allows entry with such prescription drugs if they are in their original packs and of reasonable quantity, according to Dr. Galadima, drugs were normally seized right from Nigeria and not at any of the Saudi airports.
The head of the Nigeria Medical team attributed this to a lack of proper information, enlightenment, and education on such drugs and medicaments, as they relate to such patients.
He said, “This has exposed some of the patients to high risks and, ultimately, admission and referrals to Saudi hospitals, as some of them their sugar and BP levels have reached a crisis level.”
