MAKKAH, Saudi - Tabung Haji (TH) is offering a room-to-room health check for pilgrims under its Ziarah Rahmah programme.
Public Health Unit Operations Coordinator Dr Nur Fatihah Oh Abdullah said the initiative helps early detection of health issues faced by pilgrims, adding they also use the opportunity to deliver health education to the pilgrims to ensure they are healthy to perform wukuf in Arafah, the peak of the haj pilgrimage.
"Malaysia is the only country that conducts room-to-room health programme during the haj season, to identify pilgrims with health problems to be referred to the clinics and medical experts provided by TH," she told reporters here.
The public health specialist said so far, her team consisting of 11 personnel have visited 12,000 pilgrims staying in 2,551 rooms in Madinah and Makkah.
She said of that number, 175 pilgrims were suffering from health issues including breathing problems, coughing, colds, dry skin and knee pain.
Dr Nur Fatihah said they aimed to visit all pilgrims’ accommodations by Wukuf day (June 27).
A lecturer at Kuching Polytechnic in Sarawak, Marlina Abdul Manaf, 40, expressed her satisfaction with the services provided by TH including the Ziarah Rahmah programme.
"Since we departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on May 22 until we reach our rooms, the level of service has been very good," she said. - BERNAMA