1,600 Health Workers Accompany High-Risk Hajj Candidates

Hajj health workers carry participants in Hajj candidates categorized as high risk at an airport in Saudi Arabia. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenkes).

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) sent 1,600 health workers to Saudi Arabia to accompany prospective hajj pilgrims in the high risk category.

"Indonesian hajj candidates in 2023 are 203,320 people with a high number of those at high risk to this day of 73 percent," said Head of the PPIH Division of Saudi Arabia M. Imran in his statement quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 31.

Each batch is assigned one doctor and two nurses to provide guidance, services, and health protection for pilgrims in their respective groups.

The role of Hajj health workers is important because elderly and high risk Hajj candidates this year are relatively more than the previous year's Hajj.

It was recorded in the Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Health Information System (Siskohatkes) of high risk groups in 2016 as much as 65 percent, 2017 as much as 63 percent, 2018 as 66 percent, 2019 as much as 65 percent, and 2022 as much as 68 percent.

"Hajj health services have prepared several health services for prospective hajj candidates ranging from the closest point, namely clusters, emergency services in the sector, to the level of referrals to both KKHI and Saudi Arabian hospitals," he said.

Implementation of duties as health workers starting from before departure in districts/cities and embarkation before departure.

"Health workers need to identify 50 pilgrims at high risk and carry out health promotions to prospective hajj pilgrims," he said.