Hajj 2025: Smart watch for remote care of sick pilgrims

Cairo: Saudi medical authorities have provided a cutting-edge smart wristwatch for ill pilgrims helping to remotely take care of their health condition while they perform the rites of the Islamic Hajj pilgrimages that will peak on Thursday near the holy city of Mecca.

The watch, worn by such pilgrims during their rituals at the holy sites, is provided by the Mecca Health Cluster, as part of a healthcare policy utilizing advanced technologies during Hajj 2025.

This approach enables healthcare professionals to remotely monitor the health status of sick pilgrims via this type of advanced smart watches, particularly those benefiting from ta virtual health service.

This way, the highest standards of medical care are ensured for them without affecting their religious experience. Pilgrims' health indicators are monitored under direct medical supervision to keep abreast of levels of heartbeat rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and body temperature.

The upcoming Hajj will be the last to occur during the simmering summer heat for the next 16 years. Starting in 2026, due to the Islamic lunar calendar, the Hajj season will gradually shift into cooler months—first spring, then winter.