SAUDI ARABIA RELEASES 2026 HAJJ HEALTH GUIDELINES: MANDATORY VACCINATIONS AND FITNESS CHECKS FOR ALL PILGRIMS
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has released the 2026 Hajj health requirements and guidelines for pilgrims. The guidelines, issued for Hajj 1447 AH (2026), outline the mandatory and recommended medical conditions that intending pilgrims must meet before embarking on the pilgrimage.
According to the circular, all countries, including Nigeria, must ensure that their citizens performing Hajj are physically fit and free from ailments that could affect their health or that of others during the pilgrimage. The Saudi Ministry of Health listed severe heart, lung, or kidney diseases, advanced chronic illnesses, and mental or psychological disorders as conditions that may prevent an individual from performing Hajj.
The circular mandates full compliance with the Kingdom’s medical fitness requirements for attending Hajj, including a certificate from medical authorities in pilgrims’ countries confirming that they are free of the following conditions:
- Major organ failure (heart, lungs, liver, or kidneys)
- Neurological or psychiatric disorders that impair cognition or are accompanied by severe motor disabilities
- Senility accompanied by dementia
- High-risk pregnancy at any stage
- Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, biological, or radiological treatment
- Active infectious diseases with a public health impact, such as tuberculosis and hemorrhagic fever
MANDATORY VACCINATIONS
Saudi health authorities reiterated that all intending pilgrims must present valid certificates of vaccination against COVID-19, meningitis, polio, and yellow fever before entering the Kingdom. The vaccination requirements include:
- COVID-19: All pilgrims and Hajj workers must show proof of full vaccination with vaccines approved by Saudi Arabia. The most recent dose must have been administered between 2021 and 2025, and at least two weeks before travel.
- Meningococcal Meningitis (ACWY): Every pilgrim must be vaccinated against meningitis with the ACWY vaccine not more than five years and not less than ten days before arrival in Saudi Arabia.
- Polio: Due to ongoing global surveillance, pilgrims from Nigeria are required to receive a dose of the Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV) or Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV/novel OPV2) at least four weeks before travel. Proof must be recorded in the International Certificate of Vaccination (Yellow Card).
- Yellow Fever: All travelers above nine months of age must present a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate upon entry.
COMPLIANCE MONITORING
To ensure effectiveness of the guidelines, Saudi authorities will conduct health screenings at all entry points to verify compliance with the set requirements. Any traveler who fails to meet these health standards may be denied entry, isolated, or subjected to further medical evaluation.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah emphasized that, “No pilgrim suffering from the listed diseases will be allowed to travel, and health certificates will be thoroughly verified before and upon arrival in the Kingdom.”
The Kingdom also disclosed that additional measures may be taken if there are global disease outbreaks or international public health emergencies during or prior to the Hajj exercise, in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO).
NAHCON CALLS FOR EARLY COMPLIANCE
Consequently, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has urged all intending pilgrims to take note of these requirements and ensure they complete the necessary vaccinations and health checks well ahead of the 2026 Hajj season.
Similarly, NAHCON, the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, and licensed tour operators will work together to enforce compliance and avoid travel disruptions at the point of entry into the Kingdom.
