Board directs Kano State intending Muslim pilgrims to go for medical screening

The Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has directed intending Muslim pilgrims from the state to go for medical test at the 25 selected health facilities in the state.

The board’s Public Relations Officer, Hajiya Hadiza Abbas, gave the directive in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kano.

She said that intending pilgrims were expected to go for medical screening to ascertain their health status as directed by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

According to her, the screening will give the pilgrims the opportunity to know their health status with a view to getting necessary medical advice if they have any health challenges.

She added that “the medical screening is mandatory because it is a directive from the NAHCON.

“We have selected 25 health centres in the 44 local government areas of the state for the screening and all the centres are ready for the exercise.”

On the biometric data capturing of intending pilgrims, she said that the exercise would commence on Monday, July 9 “unfailingly”.

She explained that the biometric data capturing was suspended in April due to inability of many pilgrims to complete payment of their fares.

“The biometric data capturing is also in compliance with the directive of the Saudi authorities and the Kano State centre is expected to serve pilgrims from about seven states.”

She advised the intending pilgrims to ensure that they participated in the medical screening and biometric data capturing in view of the importance of the two exercises.

NAHCON had allocated 5,500 Hajj seats to the state for the 2018 pilgrimage.