The Saudi government has announced new health regulations restricting pilgrims with specific chronic or infectious illnesses from performing Haj next year, according to a notice issued on the Ministry of Religious Affairs website.
Citing guidelines from the Saudi health ministry, the advisory states that individuals suffering from organ failure — including kidney disease requiring dialysis, severe heart ailments that limit even minimal physical activity, chronic lung disease requiring continuous or intermittent oxygen support, and advanced liver failure or cirrhosis — will not be eligible for Haj.
The restrictions also apply to people with neurological or cognitive impairments such as dementia, severe memory loss, and major physical disabilities. Elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s or tremors, as well as pregnant women in their final trimester or with high-risk pregnancies, have also been excluded.
Pilgrims with infectious diseases that can threaten public health in large gatherings — including whooping cough, open pulmonary tuberculosis, and viral haemorrhagic fever — will be barred as well. Patients undergoing treatment for advanced-stage cancer, including chemotherapy and radiological or biological therapies, are also disqualified.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has urged medical professionals to issue fitness certificates only after thorough examinations, warning that any false declarations could lead to legal consequences. Pilgrims found medically unfit upon arrival in Saudi Arabia will be sent back at their own expense, the ministry noted.
Medical officers at Haj camps will have the authority to stop individuals from travelling if any of these conditions are detected during vaccination or health screening. Saudi monitoring teams will further verify the authenticity of fitness certificates at all entry and exit points to ensure only those meeting the health criteria participate in the pilgrimage.
