Medical commissions examined 14,000 pilgrims out of quota in 2012

Health problems among Algerian pilgrims are due to insufficient health care. People aged more than 60 are likely to suffer from chronic diseases, said president of medical board Bekat Berkani.

“Medical check which was started by specialized commissions in some provinces this week must take in consideration pilgrims’ age,” according to Berkani.

He believes that it is impossible to determine diseases which make pilgrims not able to bear the performance difficulties. “Most of the pilgrims are old. If medical commissions take in consideration age and illness, they will ban most of the pilgrims.”

He also said some diseases including diabetes and high blood pressure do not prevent affected people of performing pilgrimage provided there is no serious case. “Yet, we can not know who pilgrims affected by such diseases would react with heat.”

He suggested to send general practitioners to accompany pilgrims and provide first aid to ill people before taking them to Saudi hospitals.

Doctor Youssfi said cancer, people affected by difficult respiratory and mental diseases can not perform pilgrimage.

“Some cases can be followed. Diseases list is checked by experts every year,” he said.

He added that pilgrims must be accompanied by specialist doctors. “Medical commissions examined 22,000 pilgrims last year along with 14,000 who got pilgrimage passports out of quota. Those are a heavy burden on medical commissions shoulder due to pressure and short time.”

According to Youssfi, doctors have to examine more than 100 pilgrims per year. He suggested to create coordination between interior and health ministries to facilitate medical commissions work.