PPIH Forms Special Team For Hajj Services Friendly For The Elderly

Officers of the Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH) provide services to elderly pilgrims when departing from Jakarta Embarkation, Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory, Jakarta, Tuesday (23/5/23) (ANTARA/Sean Filoso Muhamad)

JAKARTA - Director General (Dirjen) of Hajj and Umrah (PHU) Ministry of Agam Ahilman Latief said the Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH) formed a special team to realize the 2023 Elderly Hajj.

"We have prepared a special team from PPIH to serve the elderly and we train starting from technical means of using, encouraging, and raising wheelchairs onto vehicles," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, May 23.

Hilman said that his party also minimized ceremonial ceremonies so that the pilgrims of Hajj candidates (JCH), especially the elderly, were not tired in participating in their series of activities.

In addition, his party has also collaborated with various parties in formulating and understanding the character of the elderly so that services to them can be carried out optimally.

"We encourage the elderly JCH to be consistent, patient, and able to regulate themselves because the situation in the Holy Land is quite difficult at this time," he said.

In the first batch to depart from the Jakarta Embarkation tonight, there are prospective pilgrims aged 82 years and 14 wheelchair users.

The Ministry of Religion in this year's Hajj held the theme of the Elderly Friendly Hajj. The reason is, in the 2023 Hajj season there are as many as 67 thousand members of the congregation or about 30 percent of the quota for Indonesian pilgrims who are elderly.

Regarding services in Saudi Arabia, the Indonesian government has also coordinated with related parties in the country to ensure good service related to accommodation, transportation, catering, and community services (Arafah-Muzdalifah-Mina).

With the briefing, guidance, and assistance of officers, as well as the preparation of various needs during a series of worship services, it is hoped that the elderly pilgrims from Indonesia can become more independent pilgrims, able to carry out the pilgrimage without much depending on other parties.