More than 1,100 Iranians set to take the Hajj pilgrimage this year are over 80 years of age, an official said.
An official said that more than 1,100 Iranians set to take the Hajj pilgrimage this year are over 80 years old.
Head of the Hajj Medical Center of the Iranian Red Crescent Society Seyed Ali Marashi made the remark in a press conference in Tehran on Wednesday.
Sixty-five pilgrims are under 18 years old, 8,500 are between 70 and 80 years old, and the number of Iranian pilgrims under 40 is relatively low, while those over 70 make up a larger portion, he noted.
Regarding individuals whose physical fitness for the pilgrimage was not confirmed, he said that 340 people were deemed physically unfit at first.
Those who appealed this decision were re-examined by a national commission with experts present, and ultimately, 73 people were confirmed as physically unfit, he stated.
Regarding the operations to prepare medical services for Iranian pilgrims in the Hajj 2025, he said they started more than seven months ago.
For this year’s Hajj, one doctor will be sent to Saudi Arabia for every 550 pilgrims, he said.
“This year, 643 caravans were formed for the Hajj operation, and each doctor examined three, four or five caravans. The number of doctors examining pilgrims is 154.”
Considering the time remaining before the start of Hajj, Marashi advised pilgrims to walk regularly to improve their physical fitness, saying they should also take enough of their medications with them to last beyond their stay in Saudi Arabia.
More than 85,000 Iranian pilgrims are expected to perform Hajj this year.
Hajj is a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca that every able-bodied and financially able Muslim is obliged to undertake at least once during their lifetime.
The annual pilgrimage is regarded as one of the pillars of Islam and the largest act of mass pilgrimage in the world. It is also a demonstration of Muslims’ unity and their submission to Allah.
Source: AhlulBayt News Agency
