No fewer than 54 Nigerian pilgrims have been hospitalised in Saudi Arabia during the ongoing 2026 Hajj exercise, while four deaths have been recorded, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (National Hajj Commission of Nigeria) has confirmed.
The Head of the National Medical Team disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists in Makkah on the health and welfare situation of Nigerian pilgrims participating in the pilgrimage.
He said the commission currently operates five licensed medical clinics across Saudi Arabia to attend to Nigerian pilgrims, including two in Madinah and three in Makkah.
According to him, the Madinah facilities are located at Alsham’s Madinah Hotel and Buna Toiba within the Markazia area, while the Makkah clinics are situated in Misfalah, Sharasittin and Niger House at Yabalash.
He explained that the medical operations commenced in Madinah shortly after the arrival of Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia on April 28, following approval and licensing by Saudi health authorities.
However, he noted that unlike previous years, Saudi regulations did not permit the establishment of medical outposts, restricting operations to full clinics only—an arrangement he said has increased pressure on available facilities.
The medical team disclosed that over 24 patients had been referred to Saudi hospitals in Madinah, while more than 30 others were transferred from Makkah clinics for advanced treatment, particularly from the Misfalah facility, which caters for pilgrims from about 19 states.
Severely ill patients are being referred to specialised Saudi hospitals, including King Abdulaziz Hospital, through emergency response services.
On fatalities, the commission confirmed that four Nigerian pilgrims—all women—had died so far during the exercise.
It said the deaths were largely linked to cardiac-related complications, including suspected cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction, while another case involved complications from a strangulated hernia.
Officials attributed the incidents to a combination of underlying medical conditions, extreme weather conditions, and the physical stress associated with Hajj rituals.
They added that pilgrims had been repeatedly advised to minimise unnecessary movement under harsh temperatures and maintain adequate hydration to reduce health risks.
The commission said it has deployed about 287 medical personnel to cater for Nigerian pilgrims, including roughly 80 doctors and specialists across various fields.
Also speaking, the Head of Clinic at Misfalah, Fatima Saddiq, described the workload at the facility as increasingly demanding due to the rising number of patients.
She said common cases treated include malaria, dehydration, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, catarrh, body pains, as well as injuries such as bruises and cuts sustained during movement and rituals.
According to her, six doctors are deployed per shift daily to manage the growing medical needs of pilgrims, amid rising health emergencies linked to heat exposure and exhaustion.
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