Kemenhaj Says Calhaj Death Rate Has Significantly Decreased

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said that the number of pilgrims who died in the holy land until the operational period of departure on the 22nd day had decreased significantly compared to the same period last year's Hajj season.

"Last year on the same date, the number of deaths was 46 to 48 people. Well, this year it has dropped drastically, on the same date, 24 people," said Dahnil at the Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory, Jakarta, Tuesday, May 12, reported by ANTARA.

Dahnil said the decline in the death rate of pilgrims was inseparable from the tightening of health checks or health istithaah for prospective pilgrims before departure.

However, he emphasized that the government did not want to make the figure just a statistic and continued to strive to reduce the number of deaths of pilgrims during the performance of the hajj.

"(The decline) is because we are very strict regarding istithaah. And I also repeatedly conveyed to the Minister that it must be stricter. This does not mean that this is a statistical figure, we do not want anyone to increase," said Dahnil.

Based on the data he received, the majority of the pilgrims who died were not the elderly, but pilgrims aged 40 to 50 years who felt in good health so that they were too busy with worship activities.

"The deceased are actually people aged 50-40. Why? Because on average these people feel healthy, then they intensify their worship activities. Without realizing it, then their energy is reduced, the disease then appears, fatigue finally someone dies," said Dahnil.

On the other hand, the Saudi government is also committed to reducing the death rate of prospective pilgrims in the Holy Land through improved health services and supervision.

He hopes that the number of pilgrims who die this year can be suppressed far below the previous Hajj season which reached around 460 people.

"Last year, 460 people died, this year hopefully not hundreds. We hope that everyone will be healthy," he said.

Dahnil said that improving the quality of service for pilgrims was also an important factor in maintaining the health condition of pilgrims while in the Holy Land.

Ahead of the peak of the hajj, he urged pilgrims to maintain their physical condition and not force themselves to perform excessive worship activities.

"For pilgrims, we hope that the focus will be on the peak of the haj preparations, enough rest," he said.