Reports from the Ghana Hajj Board confirm that 7 Ghanaian pilgrims participating in the 2025 Hajj in Saudi Arabia have died.
The identity of the deceased remain undisclosed; however, the Hajj Board has contacted the bereaved families and extended condolences on behalf of rhe nation.
The 7 Ghanaian pilgrims who died included 5 women and two men.
The President of the Hajj Board, Alhaji Collins Dauda, spoke on recent events in Saudi Arabia, noting that the fatalities of the seven Ghanaians were regrettable.
“Regrettably, for the 2025 pilgrimage, we have lost seven of our fellow countrymen.” Deaths is painful, although it will come when it has to.”
He expressed his profound sympathy to the families in Ghana impacted by this situation. Collins Dauda together with the Board will visit the bereaved families in Ghana and sympathize with them.
This year, approximately two million Muslims from all around the world joined over 6,000 pilgrims from Ghana to Mecca. The Hajj is well known for its strenuous physical requirements, which are frequently performed in extremely hot or cold temperatures.
This year, reports from Mecca showed temperatures above 48°C, which might be extremely dangerous for people’s health, particularly for the elderly and those with underlying medical concerns.
Even with the extreme weather, this year’s death toll shows a lot of improvement. Seven Ghanaian pilgrims perished on the Hajj this year, down from 17 in 2024—a decrease of over 59%.
Alhaji Dauda ascribed the reduction to improved health and safety protocols established in collaboration with Saudi authorities as part of the reasons for the deaths of the Ghanaian pilgrims.
Some measures put in place include, pre-departure medical evaluations, the mobilization of specialized Ghanaian medical teams, and enhanced emergency response mechanisms.
Also, supplementary measures to avert heatstroke, including the establishment of water stations and health advisories, were implemented to safeguard pilgrims.
