Newly 14 Days of Hajj Operation, Highest Number of Deceased Pilgrims in the Last 4 Years

Dream - The cases of Indonesian hajj pilgrims who died in the Holy Land have increased. Until the 14th day of hajj operation on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, a total of 21 hajj pilgrims have died in Madinah.

The deceased hajj pilgrims in the Holy Land are dominated by pilgrims from the Surabaya Embarkation (SUB). The data is the highest since 2017 within a 14-day period of hajj operation.

In 2017, the number of pilgrim deaths in the first 14 days of hajj operation was 15, then in 2018 there were 17, in 2019 there were 8, and in 2022 there were only 5.

Deputy Minister of Health, Dante Saksono Harbuwono, said that his ministry will make maximum efforts to provide health services to hajj pilgrims in order to reduce the number of deaths.

"Indeed, from the evaluation until now, there have been 21 deaths, the highest in the last 4 years. Hopefully, it will not increase further, and we will strive to do our best," said Dante during the Evaluation of the Implementation of Hajj Worship 1444 H/2023 M on the YouTube channel of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, quoted on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

Dante mentioned that there are currently 47 hajj pilgrims who are still receiving inpatient care in the Holy Land. Meanwhile, the number of pilgrims receiving outpatient care has reached 236.

"Until now, there have been 236 outpatients, then 256 inpatients and most of them have returned home. There are still 54 people receiving care at the Indonesian Hajj Health Clinic (KKHI), 80 people who have been hospitalized at Saudi Arabian Hospitals (RSAS), and 47 people who are still receiving care up to now," he said.

Causes of High Number of Hajj Pilgrim Deaths

Head of the Health Section of the Saudi Arabian Hajj Organizer Committee in Madinah, Tahsin Alfarizi, said that the high number of deaths is due to the large number of elderly hajj pilgrims.

According to reports, elderly hajj pilgrims accounted for 30 percent, or around 67 thousand people.

"Not to mention the hajj pilgrims with a high risk of disease. Maybe around 55 percent of each group, the health conditions of the hajj pilgrims are almost the same," said Alfarizi, as quoted from liputan6.com.

He explained that the highest causes of death among Indonesian hajj pilgrims are heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes. Some pilgrims also have underlying diseases or comorbidities.

"Indeed, many of our hajj pilgrims have comorbidities and are elderly, so we educate them and convey it through health promotion teams, through health officers in each group, so that the pilgrims perform the hajj according to their health conditions, so as not to worsen their condition," he said.

According to Alfarizi, strenuous activities and dehydration can trigger worsening conditions in pilgrims with comorbidities. Therefore, in order to reduce the rate of death cases, they appeal to hajj pilgrims to perform worship according to their capabilities.