ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has tightened its health regulations for Hajj 2026, barring severely ill pilgrims from participating in the pilgrimage.
Under the updated policy, severely ill pilgrims will be deported, and the cost of their return will be borne by the pilgrims themselves.
According to sources in Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, action will also be taken against doctors who issue fitness certificates to unfit pilgrims.
The Ministry further clarified that, in line with guidelines issued by the Saudi Ministry of Health, individuals with kidney diseases, including patients undergoing dialysis, will not be allowed to perform Hajj in 2026.
The Saudi Ministry of Health has also restricted Hajj for patients suffering from advanced-stage heart, lung, and liver diseases, particularly those unable to endure physical exertion.