The Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG), the official state body responsible for organising the country’s participation in the annual Islamic pilgrimage, has urged all prospective pilgrims to strictly comply with updated health requirements, a prerequisite for the issuance of a Hajj visa by Saudi authorities.
The directive followed updated health requirements and guidelines released by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2026 (1447H).
A statement signed by the Medical Director and Member of the Hajj Board, Dr Abdul Samed Tanko, said the measures were mandatory and intended to protect public health, while ensuring that pilgrims were physically capable of performing the Hajj rites.
Eligibility criteria
The statement explained that only pilgrims who were physically fit and free from medical conditions that could hinder the performance of Hajj rituals or pose significant public health risks would be allowed to participate.
It said persons with conditions such as kidney failure requiring dialysis, heart failure with symptoms during minimal physical activities, chronic lung disease requiring intermittent or continuous oxygen support, and advanced liver cirrhosis with signs of liver failure were not eligible to perform Hajj 2026.
The statement added that individuals with severe neurological or psychiatric disorders that impaired cognition or caused major motor disability were also excluded.
Also, elderly persons with dementia, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or other immunosuppressive therapy, persons suffering from active infectious diseases such as pulmonary tuberculosis and viral haemorrhagic fevers, as well as pregnant women in the last trimester or those with high-risk pregnancies at any gestational age, were barred from undertaking the pilgrimage.
All prospective pilgrims must also present valid vaccination certificates for meningococcal meningitis, yellow fever, polio and COVID-19, particularly for persons aged 65 years and above, and those with chronic medical conditions.
The most recent COVID-19 vaccine dose must have been administered between 2021 and 2025.
Medical screening
The statement further said that all intending pilgrims were required to undergo comprehensive medical screening to confirm their physical fitness to safely perform Hajj rituals.
It said the screening would also help identify underlying medical conditions that may require special care or medication during the pilgrimage.
It added that details of the medical examination procedures and a list of accredited medical facilities would be communicated by the medical team, in line with the requirements of the Saudi Ministry of Health, stressing that examinations conducted at unaccredited facilities would not be accepted.
Medical fitness certificates would be issued only after an intending pilgrim had fully satisfied all stipulated health requirements. The certificate would be a major prerequisite for the issuance of a Hajj visa, as mandated by the Saudi Ministries of Hajj and Health.
Entry points monitoring
The statement also said that Saudi authorities would conduct health screening at all entry points into the Kingdom to ensure strict compliance.
It warned that prospective pilgrims who fail to meet the requirements may be denied entry, isolated or subjected to further medical assessment, adding that all health certificates issued would be thoroughly verified before departure and upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.
The statement also urged intending pilgrims to pay their Hajj fares within stipulated timelines to enable the board to schedule medical examinations, administer mandatory vaccinations and prepare health documentation on time.
