Oladunjoye, who attributed the sickness of pilgrims during the exercise to many factors, said it was the first exercise after the Kingdom of Saudi lift all COVID-19 protocols.
No fewer than 14 pilgrims died during this year’s Hajj. Giving the breakdown on Sunday in Makkah during the post-Arafat review session, the head of the Nigerian medical team for the pilgrimage, Dr Usman Galadima, said seven pilgrims died during the pre-Arafat period.
He listed the casualties to include: Plateau (1), Kaduna (2), Osun (2), Borno (1), Yobe (1), FCT (1), Benue (1) and Lagos (1), while private tour operators recorded three deaths.
Galadima said during the Muna-Arafat period, four pilgrims died at Arafat and two at Mina.
Also, The PUNCH reports on Wednesday that a 58-year-old female Kano Pilgrim, Hadiza Ismai’il, passed away while performing Hajj in Mecca.
But speaking exclusively with The PUNCH on Wednesday, Oladunjoye said exposure to harsh weather and thousands of people at the same time were part of what aggravated the pilgrims health conditions.
“Let me state generally that this year’s hajj, according to the Saudi authorities, witnessed the highest number of pilgrims in the history of hajj. Why? It is the first hajj after the total relaxation of Covid 19 protocols. A lot of people who could not come since 2020 participated this year.
“Additionally, this year has probably the hottest weather condition with outside temperatures ranging from 41% to 51%.
“So the weather is part of it; the change of environment. You can also not rule out the psychological effect of people in a new environment, people who have never seen beyond 1,000 people as a crowd now see about one million together. So, a lot of factors contributed,” Oladunjoye, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday, said.
On measures to prevent reoccurrence, he said Ogun State had emplaced stringent medical checks since 2019.
“In Ogun State, we embark on stringent medical checks and our pilgrims can affirm this. It is a practice that has been enhanced since 2019 when Prince Dapo Abiodun took over as governor of Ogun State. I have been a member of the committee since then.
“We have been strict and stringent and we engage in regular seminars for the pilgrims before departure and while on pilgrimage we organise daily lectures,” he added.
When asked if intending pilgrims may be denied the opportunity to perform the religious rites if found unfit after medical checks, he said, “What the injunction on pilgrimage states is that it is for those who can afford it and those who are fit.”
