Hajj Pilgrims Are Advised To Be Alert To Extreme Weather In The Holy Land, Temperature Reaches 35 Degrees Celsius

Head of the Public Relations and Public Communication Bureau (HKP) of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) Akhmad Fauzin in a press conference on the implementation of the 2025 Hajj which was attended online in Jakarta on Monday (5/5/2025). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Extreme hot weather in Saudi Arabia is a major concern for Indonesian pilgrims who are now starting to arrive in the Holy Land.

The government through the Ministry of Religion reminded the congregation to remain vigilant and maintain health during worship in the midst of temperatures that could reach 35 degrees Celsius in the Medina region.

Head of the Public Relations and Public Communication Bureau of the Ministry of Religion, Akhmad Fauzin, said that air humidity was also observed to be low, around 14 percent, so the risk of dehydration was quite high.

"We urge the congregation to always maintain body condition, drink lots of water, and avoid direct sunlight by wearing head protections and comfortable clothes," he said at an online press conference, as quoted by ANTARA.

Fauzin also asked the congregation to make the most of the rest time at the hotel and still prioritize the implementation of mandatory worship. "Follow the directions of the officers and the head of the group so that the implementation of worship can run safely and in an orderly manner. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need help," he added.

On the other hand, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that this year Indonesia has the ease of access to medical services in Saudi Arabia. This is expected to accelerate the handling of health for pilgrims without having to go through complicated referral procedures.

"The number of medical personnel at the Indonesian Hajj Health Office (KKHI) can be reduced because now hospitals in Saudi Arabia provide direct access for Indonesian pilgrims. This speeds up the handling process if there is an emergency," said Budi.

He also conveyed that the tightening of the congregation's health check procedures implemented since 2024 had a positive impact. The data shows a significant decrease in the number of congregants who died, from 773 people in 2023 to 461 people in 2024.

"This is possible because of the improvement in the quality of medical examinations carried out early on, as well as tighter supervision and assistance," he explained.

Budi emphasized the importance of maintaining this trend so as not to have a bad impact on the requirements for the departure of the congregation in the future.

"If the death rate remains high, it could affect the evaluation of the Saudi Arabian government against Indonesia, including the potential increase in insurance premiums for pilgrims," he said.