Haj pilgrims would be issued a “free-from-swine flu-symptoms certificate” before they fly out to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The Union Health Ministry has asked states to examine the pilgrims for swine flu symptoms before they are allowed to travel. The pilgrims would again be examined at the Delhi airport and those with H1N1 symptoms would “not be allowed to go”. The directive was issued after Saudi Arabia asked India to allow only pilgrims “free from swine flu” to proceed on the pilgrimage.

The Health Ministry had suggested that besides clinical examination, pilgrims should be given Tamiflu before they leave but the Haj Committee later decided on issuing a medical fitness certificate to the pilgrims, a senior official in the Health Ministry said.

Pilgrims have already been advised to avoid shaking hands, hugging, spitting in public and using medicines without prescription. Pilgrims would also be vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis.

A National Air Services of Saudi Arabia will take off with the first batch of 250 Indian Haj pilgrims from Delhi Airport on Tuesday morning. About a dozen flights will carry nearly 4,000 pilgrims a day till November 22 to Saudi Arabia from 19 embarkation points across the country.

Around 123,200 pilgrims will travel for Haj this year under the government’s subsidy scheme while 45,000 pilgrims will travel privately.

Haj pilgrimage becomes costlier

New Delhi: Haj pilgrims will have to shell out Rs 4,000 more as airfare this year as the Union Cabinet Monday fixed the airfare at Rs 16,000 as against last year’s Rs 12,000. “Every Haj pilgrim would pay only Rs.16,000 as fare. The remaining cost would be borne by the Government of India,” a Cabinet statement said.

... contd.