The organisations have also reported 21 deaths as of 3 September, of which 20 have been due to natural causes and one due to a road accident. Nineteen of the deaths were attributed to cardiac arrest and one due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with respiratory failure. Four in ten of the deceased pilgrims are above 60 years of age.
The Ministry of External Affairs remains committed to the welfare and well-being of Haj pilgrims and is doing its utmost to ensure their well-being. The Ministry of External Affairs and Consulate General of India have taken several steps to provide good medical facilities free of charge for Hajj pilgrims, including a 40-bed hospital in Makkah, a 40-bed hospital in Azizia and a 10-bed hospital in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. There are also 13 branch dispensaries in Makkah and five branch dispensaries in Madinah which are all located close to the pilgrims’ accommodation and open round-the-clock. The Ministry of External Affairs has also dispatched medicines and medical equipment worth Rs. 2 crores for use in these hospitals and dispensaries, which is provided free of cost to Hajj pilgrims. The Government has already deployed 134 doctors and 145 paramedics to provide specialised medical care. Steps are also taken to facilitate treatment in case of emergencies and also to arrange evacuation to India, if necessary.
Deaths due to natural causes are a normal occurrence during the Hajj pilgrimage. During the Hajj pilgrimage from 2009 to 2012 there were 250 to 300 deaths annually due to natural causes. The numbers declined to 177 deaths at Hajj 2013 and 152 deaths for Hajj 2014 due to better treatment for pilgrims in the high risk group and also a 20% reduction in the overall quota for India. The fact that a very large number of pilgrims are above 60 and 70 years of age and are already facing several medical problems is the main reason for these deaths.