Saudi Arabia announces key update on Hajj 2026 medical requirements

Hajj 2026

RIYADH: As per the advisory issued by the Saudi Ministry of Health, new medical conditions have been announced for Hajj 2026.

According to details, the Saudi government has imposed a complete ban on ailing pilgrims, the Ministry of Religious Affairs confirmed.

The Saudi Ministry of Health stated that individuals suffering from kidney failure or undergoing dialysis will not be permitted to perform Hajj in 2026.

As per the newly introduced medical criteria, pilgrims with lung and liver diseases will also be restricted, the Ministry of Religious Affairs stated.

The ministry further warned that ailing pilgrims will be deported from Saudi Arabia, and all expenses incurred in this regard will have to be paid by the individuals themselves.

Legal action will also be initiated against doctors who issue fitness certificates to medically unfit pilgrims, it added.

Pilgrims with severe neurological or psychiatric illnesses, memory loss, and other chronic conditions will also be prohibited from undertaking the pilgrimage, the ministry clarified.

Pregnant women, and those suffering from whooping cough, tuberculosis, and viral hemorrhagic fever will not be allowed to perform Hajj 2026, according to the spokesperson.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs further confirmed that cancer patients have also been barred from performing Hajj. Medical officers will have the authority to prevent a pilgrim from traveling if they are deemed unfit prior to departure. Saudi monitoring teams will verify the validity and accuracy of pilgrims’ medical fitness certificates.

Only those individuals who meet the required basic health standards will be allowed to embark on the sacred journey, the Ministry of Religious Affairs emphasized.

Hajj 2026: Important Update for Pilgrims Planning Hajj Next Year