Thai health authorities take good care of Hajj pilgrims

BANGKOK, September 23 (TNA) - Public Health Minister Dr. Piyasakon Sakonsatayatorn has assigned a Thai medical team deployed in Saudi Arabia during the current Hajj Pilgrimage to take good care of Thai Muslims' health there, especially against such fatal diseases as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), diarrhea, Ebola and heat stroke. Dr. Piyasakon told journalists on Wednesday that a total of 10,400 Thai Muslims are in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj Pilgrimage this year, set from September 22-27, and he has received reports from the Thai medical team that temperatures there are very high. Dr. Piyasakon, thus, expressed his worry that the heat could cause health problems to the Thai Muslims, who are among more than 1.3 million Muslims worldwide gathering in Mecca for the Hajj now, saying he has ordered the Thai medical personnel to strictly prevent the four fatal diseases, in particular, among the Thai nationals. Dr. Piyasakon stressed that he has also asked the Thai medical team to send medical staff and public health volunteers to visit Thai Muslim pilgrims on foot during the Hajj to provide them with health check-ups. The Thai minister confirmed that there have been no reports on MERS cases among the Thai Muslim pilgrims in Saudi Arabia so far. As the first batch of the Thai-Muslim pilgrims in Saudi Arabia would begin returning home on September 29, the Thai health minister noted that he has assigned the medical team there to, again, carry out strict health check-ups on all Thai Muslims before they depart for Thailand. According to the minister, he has also instructed provincial public health offices nationwide, as well as "Mr. Hajj" and health volunteers to provide another health check-up service to Thai Muslims returning from the Hajj in their respective areas and to monitor their post-Hajj health conditions closely for 30 days. Besides, all hospitals have been asked to be prepared for admissions and standard treatments of patients with the four fatal diseases-like symptoms to prevent any outbreak in their communities. (TNA)