National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Thursday, called on State Pilgrims Welfare Boards to comply with the guideline on inclusion of the recruitment of Environment Health Officers for Hajj operations.

NAHCON had directed all states to recruit and include in their team, environmental health officers to enforce pilgrims personal hygiene and environmental sanitation

The head of the national medical team, Ibrahim Kana, while responding to unhygienic eating habit and waste disposal by pilgrims during Hajj exercise, said the recruitment of environmental officers is part of the guidelines designed by the commission for the 2018 National Medical Team.

He said the officers are supposed to live with the pilgrims in the same accommodation in order to enforce personal and environmental sanitation.

“This is what we need within pilgrim’s accommodation and not necessarily clinics. Our belief is prevention is better than cure, which is incontrovertible,” Mr. Kana said.

He also appealed to the media to assist in advocating states to recruit such officers who would also supervise the local cleaners responsible for waste disposal within and around pilgrims’ residence.

Meanwhile, Nigerian pilgrims in Madina, Saudi Arabia, have commended the Federal Government on the quality of food being served to them during their stay in Madina.

A report monitored on Liberty Television, said the pilgrims are drawn from Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and Kebbi State, were among the first batches of pilgrims to arrive the holy land.

They applauded the Federal government for providing a befitting meal consisting of rice, fruit juice, oranges, water and chicken as part of the double daily meal being served.

According to the arrangement, the federal government will take responsibility for pilgrims’ accommodation and feeding in Medina, while each state is expected to cater for its pilgrims accommodation and feeding in Mecca, which includes Minna and Arafat respectively.

Speaking while receiving their evening meal, the pilgrims said the meal has helped in boosting their moral and has helped in limiting their spending on feeding.

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