In Addition To Meningitis And Dehydration, Hajj Pilgrims Must Also Beware Of ARI Diseases

General Chairperson of PP Perdokhi Dr. dr. Syarief Hasan Lutfie, Sp.KFR, MARS, AIFO-K (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Pilgrims need to be aware of the transmission of the Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (ARI) disease in addition to meningitis and dehydration. Over the past few years, respiratory infections have been the most common disease for Indonesian pilgrims during the implementation of the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. A study in Saudi Arabia showed about 60 percent of pilgrims consulting at the Mina Primary Clinic came with complaints of upper respiratory tract infection. The Central Executive of the Indonesian Hajj Medical Association (PP Perdokhi) hopes that the pilgrims will be more vigilant. “ When the flu attacks people with senior age and has comorbid diseases, it can be at serious risk. ISPA and pneumonia are still the most diseases encountered during Indonesian Hajj pilgrims during the Hajj health in Saudi Arabia in 2023,” said PP Perdokhi General Chair Dr. dr. Syarief Hasan Lutfie, Sp.K.FR, MARS, AIFO-K in Jakarta, Thursday, May 9. Syarief said that in addition to the risk of meningitis disease or inflammation of the brain membrane which is a health disorder due to invasive meingocusing (IMD) diseases, diseases such as pneumonia and influenza also need to be watched out for because they become germs of respiratory infection. Unfortunately, the ARI arrived after the congregation ignored the symptoms they felt and did not take preventive action. As a result, the symptoms continued to pneumonia. “ Jamaah who were hospitalized was almost 40 percent due to pneumonia. Meanwhile, 67 percent of those treated for ICU were due to respiratory infection,” he said, quoted from ANTARA.

Syarief also revealed that based on the results of a Balkhy study conducted on 500 hajj pilgrims, it was found that 56 percent of pilgrims with respiratory tract infections were proven to be caused by the influenza virus. Thus, Syarief recommends that before leaving for the pilgrimage or Umrah pilgrims have vaccinated first as a form of self-protection when they have to mingle with pilgrims from other countries in Saudi Arabia. "This is the importance of pilgrims needing influenza vaccines to provide self-protection during performing Umrah," said Syarief.