Health Precautions for Haj Advised

Lulwa Shalhoub, Arab News

JEDDAH, 14 Dec — As Haj approaches, pilgrims and people living in and around Makkah are getting ready to protect themselves from diseases that could be contagious during this annual season. Hospitals and health care centers are equipped with vaccinations, mostly ACWY meningococcal vaccines that must be taken 10 days prior to Haj.

“All patients must consult their family physicians before going to Haj, especially old people or those with chronic medical conditions,” said Dr. Muntazar Bashir, a consultant family physician and chairman of family medicine at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center.

Other recommended vaccines are those against Hepatitis A and B; infectious diseases of the digestive system; typhoid and diphtheria; and the common flu. It is important that pilgrims do not allow people to sneeze, cough or have physical contact (shaking hands) with people that have respiratory diseases. An antiseptic cream is useful in these cases. These diseases are common during Haj and they vary from viral infections like cold and flu to bacterial infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis.

Traveling to Makkah in advance of the Haj is sensible especially for people who are not used to the climate in Makkah.

“They must be aware that heart produces sweat and that up to five liters of water and 20g of salt may be lost per day,” he said. Food poisoning is also common during Haj. Some people tend to buy food from peddlers and small cafeterias that may not implement safety measures.

“I advise pilgrims to eat only thoroughly cooked food and drink bottled water and also eat only fruit with peels, like oranges and bananas, to avoid germs,” he said. As men have to have their heads shaved or hair trimmed to remove their “Ihram,” they have to be careful not to reuse the same blade after others, as risks of transmitting HIV and Hepatitis B and C are possible. Many pilgrims come from regions where such infections are endemic so pilgrims must insist that their barbers use new blades.

Patients of chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma must take sufficient supplies of their usual drugs and have the generic names of the drugs with them if they need to refill their prescriptions. “It is recommended that these pilgrims take a letter documenting medical problems and drugs they take. That will allow rapid assessment should an illness occur,” said Dr. Bashir.

As for diabetic pilgrims, insulin must be refrigerated. Those patients need careful monitoring and insulin may be temporarily needed in patients with Type 2 diabetes. “Although problems of hyperglycaemia can occur, the second of these is more common as a result of increased physical activity. Food intake may have to be increased before exertion,” Bashir.

Some women delay menstruation in order to be able to perform Haj. Some women who have a regular menstrual cycle have it every year in the time of Haj. It is healthy to take a combined contraceptive pills or daily progesterone. Pilgrims could expect symptoms of weakness, light headaches and muscle cramps that will respond to a combination of rest, cooling and fluid and salt replacement.