Date: 2018-07-13

The 1,550 intending pilgrims from Kwara on Thursday commenced the mandatory inoculation and other medical screening ahead of the 2018 hajj.

Hundreds of the intending Pilgrims early Thursday morning, besieged the llorin Transit Hajj camp to participate in the one-week medical screening.

Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh; the Executive Secretary of the Board, told NAN that the exercise was being carried out by qualified health personnel to ascertain the fitness and health status of the intending pilgrims.

He said the inoculation and medical screening had become imperative following the rigour involved in some of the activities in the holy land.

According to Mr Tunde-Jimoh, all female intending pilgrims will in addition, undergo pregnancy test.

The executive secretary warned that the board would not hesitate to disqualify any intending pilgrims who failed the medical screening or detected to be pregnant.

He said arrangement had been perfected for the intending pilgrims from all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state to participate in the medical screening expected to last for a week

Mr Tunde-Jimoh warned all the intending pilgrims from the 16 local government areas to desist from negative tendencies that could drag the name of Kwara and the country in the mud while in the holy land.

He reminded the intending Pilgrims not to carry Kolanuts, Tramadol and other prohibited drugs, which he said attract serous penalty in the holy land.

He disclosed that befitting accommodation had been secured for the comfort of the pilgrims in both Makkah and Madinah.

The executive secretary commended the Kwara State Government for the provision of necessary logistic ahead of a successful Hajj operation in the state.

The board has embarked on series of sensitisation programme for the intending pilgrims aimed at making them worthy ambassadors of Kwara and Nigeria.

(NAN)