Saudi Arabia bars seriously ill pilgrims from Haj

ISLAMABAD: The Saudi government has imposed strict restrictions on seriously ill individuals seeking to perform Haj 2026. A policy for deporting seriously ill pilgrims has also been enforced, under which Saudi authorities will send such pilgrims back to their homeland, and the returning pilgrims will be required to bear the cost of their travel.

Sources in the Ministry of Religious Affairs said that action will be taken against doctors who issue fitness certificates to seriously ill pilgrims.

The ministry has clarified that, according to directives from the Saudi Ministry of Health regarding medical conditions for Haj 2026, patients suffering from kidney diseases or undergoing dialysis will not be permitted to perform the pilgrimage.

The Saudi ministry has also prohibited Haj for patients with heart diseases that limit their ability to perform physical activity. Individuals with advanced lung and liver diseases will also face restrictions and would not be allowed to participate.

In addition, the Saudi government has barred people with severe neurological or psychiatric illnesses, memory impairment, severe disabilities, and dementia from performing Haj.

People suffering from severe old age-related conditions, including Alzheimer’s and epilepsy, will also be restricted. Pregnant women, as well as patients with whooping cough, tuberculosis, and viral hemorrhagic fever, will similarly be unable to perform Haj 2026.

Cancer patients have also been declared ineligible for Haj. Medical officers will be authorized to prevent such individuals from traveling before departure. Monitoring teams deployed by Saudi authorities will assess and verify the authenticity of each pilgrim’s fitness certificate.