In A First, More Than 4,000 Indian Women To Perform Hajj Without Male Companion

According to officials, this year marks the largest number of Indian women to perform Hajj without Mehram (without a male companion) after the reform in 2018 that removed the requirement of a male companion for women during the pilgrimage. A total of 4,314 Indian women are set to embark on this journey without a 'Mehram.'

For the first time, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has put in place extensive measures to ensure the well-being of Hajj pilgrims, including the establishment of health desks at airports and medical screening overseen by government physicians.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs is working with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to make thorough health preparations for pilgrims who are travelling to Mecca in order to provide high-quality medical assistance to pilgrims.

Indian Women To Perform Hajj Without Male Companion

Every year, Mecca welcomes a high number of visitors who come from all around the world to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, with Saudi Arabia playing host to around 2.5 to 3 million pilgrims. It is noteworthy that India sends the third largest number of pilgrims in the world to the holy city of Mecca. This year, 4,314 Indian women will travel to perform Hajj without a male companion.

The statement released by the ministry mentioned that due to the significant influx of pilgrims in Mecca, Madina, and Jeddah, there are specific health challenges that need to be addressed, and the medical needs of the pilgrims must be taken care of.

For this year, the quota allotted for pilgrims travelling to India is 175,025, and the first flight for the pilgrimage will commence on May 21.

In order to provide extensive and high-quality services to the pilgrims, a series of meetings have been conducted by Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya along with officials from both ministries. The objective of these meetings is to improve the level of services offered to the pilgrims.

Over the past 90 days, a total of 10 or more meetings centred around the topic have been orchestrated involving both ministries, which has ultimately led to the development of a comprehensive plan of action, according to the statement.

The Ministry of Health has given directions to states on March 21 to provide medical screenings and fitness certificates for those who plan to go on pilgrimages.

Additionally, as per the statement, the states and district health authorities are responsible for establishing camps for the selected pilgrims. These camps will provide detailed medical examinations and vaccinations before their departure.

A medical identification card will be provided to all the pilgrims in these camps. This card will assess the current health condition and any pre-existing medical conditions of the selected pilgrims.

The intention is to make the health status readily available to the medical teams in Saudi Arabia through digital channels to ensure that health services are provided promptly in the event of an emergency.

The medical screening of the pilgrims aims to address any potential medical emergencies that may arise during the pilgrimage. This ensures that any emergency medical issues can be dealt with quickly and effectively.

According to the statement, the Minority Affairs Ministry and the Health Ministry have collaborated to make the process of obtaining medical screening, fitness certificates, and vaccination easier for travellers from the point of embarkation to their return to India. The collaboration is also expected to ensure that timely and quality healthcare services are provided to travellers.

Suggested Reading: Female Pilgrims For Hajj No Longer Need Male Guardians To Accompany them: Report