The World Health Organization has praised Saudi Arabia for its approach to health during Hajj season, which saw no major incidents or outbreaks of disease detected during this year’s pilgrimage.
Around 1.8 million people traveled to Mecca, Saudi Arabia for the Hajj this year, officials say.
“WHO congratulates the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leadership on the success of the Hajj season for this year,” Ahmed Al Mandhari, the body’s regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said in a post on Facebook.
“We appreciate the extraordinary efforts made by the Saudi authorities to organize and provide health services for the millions of pilgrims.”
It was the largest Hajj gathering since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and one of the hottest, leading to 6,500 people being treated for heatstroke, the Ministry of Health said, according to a report in The National.
The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, sees believers converge on the holy city of Makkah for several days of rituals in which they retrace the steps of the Prophet Mohammed.
All Muslims are expected to complete Hajj at least once in their lives if they have the means to do so.
