3.03 PM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

UAE Haj pilgrims: Dubai health 'check'

Published
By Staff with Wam

A Haj awareness campaign at Dubai International Airport has been launched to educate travelers about how to protect their health during the pilgrimage, said the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

About 10,000 pilgrims are expected to travel from Dubai for the Haj pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this year.

In order to ensure the safety and comfort of Hajj pilgrims, an awareness campaign has been launched at Terminal I and III, where three medical centres that are open round-the clock, said Essa Al Maidoor, Director-General at the DHA.

“As part of the Hajj awareness campaign, we are distributing health education brochures, medical packages that contain a first-aid kit, an umbrella and essential medicines, said Abdulla Al Naqbi, Director of the Airport Medical Centre at the DHA.

Further, free screenings including blood glucose tests for pilgrims are conducted and a hand hygiene campaign is launched.

“We have a machine that uses ultraviolet rays to check whether the person has germs on his hands.

“After pilgrims wash their hands, we ask them to screen their hands under the machine to see if there are still germs lurking on the surface of their hands. This helps effectively communicate the importance of proper hand-hygiene to prevent the spread of germs,” al Naqbi added.

UAE pilgrims in good health: Head of Official Hajj Mission

Mohammed Obeid Al Mazrouei, Head of the UAE Official Hajj Mission, has stressed that all the pilgrims of the country are fine and in good health.

Al Mazrouei noted that the number of pilgrims who arrived in Makkah and Al Madinah Al Munawarah had reached 3,500 and all were in good health with no incidence of epidemics or infectious diseases being reported.

He added that the pilgrims are now spending their days in Al Madinah and are preparing to go to Makkah to start Al Hajj rituals.

What to do while traveling

The World Health Organisation (WHO) earlier published travel tips for pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, saying that close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections should be avoided, hands should be washed frequently especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment, food safety and hygiene rules should be adhered to close contact with live farm or wild animals should be avoided.

Moreover, it recommended travelers who develop symptoms either during travel or after their return to seek medical attention and to share their history of travel.

People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands) and delay travel until they are no longer symptomatic.

People with a low immunity system, such as the elderly, people with diabetes, or people with asthma, are advised to vaccinate against pneumonia or postpone their travel.