Hajj Pilgrims Must Perform Health Screening

Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health requires all members of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to undergo health screening at every debarkation to prevent the importation of COVID-19 cases.

"The provisions of the COVID-19 Antigen screening examination, which were originally randomly carried out on 10 percent of the total number of pilgrims in each group, have now been carried out on all pilgrims returning to Indonesia," said Head of the Health Ministry's Hajj Health Center, Budi Sylvana, who was confirmed in Jakarta, Wednesday. July 20.

He said the provisions were regulated in the Notification Letter of the Directorate General of Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number SR.03.4/C/3519/2022 concerning Amendments to Provisions for Supervision which took effect as of July 15, 2022.

Additional provisions related to the implementation of health protocols for pilgrims returning to the country have been implemented at every international entry gate (debarkation).

Budi said the effort was made in order to maximize supervision and optimize efforts to prevent and control COVlD-19, especially for pilgrims returning to the country.

"The Port Health Office (KKP) must coordinate with the local Health Office regarding the supervision and handling of positive cases found," he said as quoted by Antara.

The Ministry of Health also asked the KKP to coordinate with related parties regarding logistical needs and other matters needed for Hajj health screening.

As of Tuesday (19/7), the Ministry of Health detected 14 hajjis who were positive for COVID-19 out of a total of 9,551 hajjis who had returned to the country. A total of 13 hajj pilgrims were reported to have contracted COVID-19 from the Surabaya Debarkation, while another was reported from the Solo Debarkation.

Symptoms arising from infection with SARS-CoV-2 that cause COVID-19 are all mild, so the patient care procedure according to the currently applicable health protocol is self-isolation.