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| Sunday, 11 December 2005 |
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Medical advice for Hajj pilgrims by Dr. Salih Mohemed Ashraff It is paramount important and highly appropriate to give the fundamental and basic health and medical guidelines, to those who intend and aspire to embark on hajj pilgrimage. Those who are aspiring for a Hajj pilgrimage should ensure that as far as possible, they are free of communicable and non communicable diseases before embarkation. Those who suffer from any illness should seek proper medical advice, get necessary test done and undergo the correct treatment to get complete cure. Those who are above 40 years old should get themselves investigated for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. Diagnosed cases of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, migrain, epilepsy, skin diseases, psychiatric illnesses and gastric ulcer should be properly controlled with appropriate treatment. Prophylaxis of major communicable diseases such as cholera and meningococcal meningitis is very important, by properly timed immunisation with effective vaccines. When cholera develops with severe vomiting and diarrhoea, especially in dry hot climate, patients tends to get severe dehydration, salt depletion and shock, and usually die unless hospitalised and emergency treatment is given effectively. Meningococcal meningitis is a highly contagious disease, which spread like wildfire through air, killing most of the infected patients within 24-48 hours. The correct type of meningococcal vaccine used is tetravalent polycaccharide vaccine of serotypes A, C, W 135 and Y. Wearing mask made of clothe during various hajj activities will be very useful to prevent respiratory infections such as cold, cough, sore throat and pneumonia. Covering the face with a towel while sleeping in congested rooms also helps to prevent the respiratory infections. Personal hygiene, and hygienic cooking, storing, transporting and serving methods are important to avoid diarrhoea and vomiting, food poisoning, desentery, typhoid and cholera. Severe heat of scorching sun has to be avoided to prevent dehydration, salt depletion and heat stroke specially during Thawaf and when out on the street to attend mosque or shopping. This can be done by using an umbrella or a thick towel to cover the head. Excessive heating of the head also can be prevented by wrapping a wet towel around the neck. These measures are more important for old people because they cannot withstand these problems like young people. Accidents occur during various rituals of Hajj and during travelling by road or air. During the rituals of stoning the devil, accidental injury and death are very common due to the stampede. During this ritual both strong and weak people get involved. The stronger people should always think that there are weaker people among the crowd and have the mind set of being the guardian of the weaker people. |
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