Four out of about 55 thousand Nigerians that performed this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia have died.
This was disclosed by the Head of the medical team of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Dr. Ibrahim Kana, at the commission’s post-Arafat meeting on Monday.
He said the deceased hailed from Kano, Lagos, FCT and Zamfara states.
Kana did not disclose the cause of the deaths.
He said Hajj mortality rate was lower this year, in view of the fact that 15 pilgrims passed on in 2017.
He also disclosed that the team recorded six miscarriages, 71 referrals, adding that eight pilgrims were on admission at Saudi Arabian hospitals.
According to him, the team treated 8571 pilgrims of various tropical illnesses in its 18 clinics at the time of Hajj rites.
He stated that Niger state had the highest number of patients due to an outbreak.
Kana added that while 56 per cent of the patients were male, 44 per cent were female.
He lamented high number of pilgrims suffering from psychiatry, saying the commission was working towards unravelling the cause.