Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, was on Monday was at the Nigerian Hajj Affairs Office in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to discuss with management of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on health care support for Nigerian pilgrims to the 2025 Hajj exercise.
Prof Pate, who was received by NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Prof Abdullahi Saleh Usman and top management staff of the Hajj body, informed the gathering that the Federal Government was ready to work with the commission on provision of healthcare in three phases; pre-Hajj, Hajj period and at the post Hajj to ensure a successful healthcare delivery operation for the 2025 Hajj.
According to report made to journalists in Abuja by NAHCON, the minister said his ministry would help in providing medicines and medical equipments as well as the Yellow Card in good time and reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to giving priority to Nigerian pilgrims’ wellbeing.
Welcoming the minister to NAHCON’s Ummul Judd office in Makkah, Prof Usman expressed gratitude to the minister for honouring the commission’s invitation to inspect its medical facilities and equipment in Makkah.
The chairman then solicited more support from the Federal Government in providing ambulances which he said were desperately needed for the Hajj operations.
In his remarks, the Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services, Professor Abubakar Yagawal, thanked the minister for the visit and also urged him to help provide NAHCON with full functional ambulances as those available are out of service.
While being taken round the facilities for inspection, the minister reaffirmed the necessity of having functional ambulances during hajj operations.
He, therefore, promised that his ministry would do what it can considering the short timeframe before the Hajj season sets in.
Pate further promised to continue providing adequate medical assistance for Nigerian pilgrims.
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