Haj pilgrims are like our parents, says nurse
Working as a nurse in Madinah during the haj season is no easy task.
For Nur Ainun Mohammad and her team of 16 nurses, including three men, their duty at the Madinah Medical Centre in the Ar Roha Hotel presents unique challenges.
Despite limited equipment and manpower, Nur Ainun and her team are dedicated to providing the best medical care to pilgrims, whom they regard as their parents.
“I volunteered for this duty because I wanted to help Malaysian haj pilgrims, many of whom are elderly and need assistance,” she told reporters here.
The 24-hour Madinah Medical Centre has 33 beds, catering to both men and women.
Their aim is to ensure that Malaysian pilgrims stay healthy and can perform their religious duties comfortably.
With 24 years of nursing experience, Nur Ainun said unlike her work at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, where she deals with various emergency cases, most cases in Madinah involve respiratory issues due to the high temperature and dust.
“Many of our pilgrims are elderly, so respiratory problems like cough, sore throat and cold are common.
“If not treated promptly, these conditions can worsen,” she said, Bernama reported.
Recalling her experiences from previous seasons, she said one particularly memorable incident involved a 92-year-old woman who broke her thigh bone.
“The pilgrim was injured in Malaysia but was determined to perform the haj. When she arrived here, we treated her before sending her to Mecca using an ambulance for the wukuf (standing at Arafat). Unfortunately, she passed away before she could fulfil her wish,” Nur Ainun said sadly.
She also recounted an incident involving a man who often forgot why he was there.
“We placed him at the Madinah and Makkah Medical Centres and became his nurse and family until he was able to perform the haj,” she said.
In honour of Nurses Day on May 12, Nur Ainun took a moment to express her heartfelt gratitude to all the nurses serving the haj pilgrims.