The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board will on Tuesday begin medical screening and vaccination exercise for the 2024 Hajj intending pilgrims.
The Board Secretary, Mr. Saheed Onipede disclosed this in statement issued by the Public Affairs unit of the Board over the weekend.
According to him, the screening was designed to ascertain the health status of each pilgrim in fulfillment of the requirements for international travels.
He emphasised that medical officials from the the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) would screen the pilgrims for diabetes, malaria, typhoid, hepatitis B, pregnancy test, etc. while officials from Port Health Service (PHS) in the Federal Ministry of Health would vaccinate them against diseases such as polio, meningitis and yellow fever.
The screening which will be carried out on a local government basis will begin at 8.00 am daily from Tuesday, April 30 till Thursday, May 9, 2024, at the Shamsi Adisa Thomas (SAT) Mosque hall, Old Secretariat, GRA, Ikeja.
According to the schedule, intending pilgrims from Agege, Amuwo Odofin, Badagry and Mushin LGAs would be screened and vaccinated on Tuesday, April 30. It would be the turn of Ajeromi Ifelodun, Eti Osa, Kosofe and Oshodi Isolo on Thursday, May, 2 while Alimosho, Epe, Ifako ijaiye and Lagos Mainland would have theirs on Monday, May 6, 2024.
Intending pilgrims from Apapa, Surulere, Ikeja and Lagos Island LGAs shall be vaccinated on Tuesday, May 7. Shomolu, Ojo and Ikorodu would have their turn on Wednesday, 8th of May while all outstandings and leftovers would be attended to on Thursday, May 9, 2024 respectively.
The statement added that collection of results and consultations by medical doctors shall also go on simultaneously at the venue.
Onipede urged the pilgrims to make themselves available for the screening exercise which he said is one of the important stages in the Hajj process, warning that any pilgrim who fails to appear for the screening would forfeit the chances of performing the Hajj rites through the state. He also noted that the exercise would help them to know their health status and afford the doctors the opportunity of prescribing appropriate drugs and manage them effectively during their stay in the Holy land.
Meanwhile the Board”s scribe has appealed to the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the state in particular and Nigerian in general whilst in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He stated this while monitoring the ongoing weekend lectures/sensitisation programme across the Local Government Areas of the state.
The programme which was kick started at Badagry Local Government penultimate week is aimed at educating the intending pilgrims, especially the first timers, on the requirements of Hajj rites as well as the do’s and don’t involved with traveling to a foreign land.
He appealed to them not to travel to the Holy Land with prohibited items such hard drugs, cola nut, bitter cola, etc. or collect bags from strangers, stressing that authorities in Saudi Arabia does not tolerate trafficking of banned substances and anyone caught are severely dealt with or given capital punishment.
In the same vein, the Board has started the distribution of two types of Ankara (Aso ebi) to the intending pilgrims through their respective Local Government Areas’ coordinators. Onipede said that one of the fabrics would be warn by them during the one-day seminar usually held at De-Blue Roof, Lagos Television (LTV) ground, Ikeja and on departure to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while the second type shall be warn on their return trip to Nigeria after completing the Hajj rites.
The ankara encourages uniformity and serves as means of identification for the pilgrims and officials of the state whilst in the Kingdom.
Taofeek Lawal
Asst. Director
(Public Affairs)
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