8 Months Pregnant, Hajj Candidates From Nganjuk Delayed To The Holy Land

Pilgrims who are prospective Hajj pilgrims walk to the plane while at Juanda International Airport Surabaya in Sidoarjo some time ago. ANTARA/Umarul Faruq.

SURABAYA - A hajj candidate from Nganjuk Regency had to delay his departure to the Holy Land because it was discovered that he was pregnant with eight months of pregnancy.

Head of the Surabaya Embarkation Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH) Husnul Maram explained that the decision was based on the results of urine examinations for women of childbearing age carried out by health workers upon arrival of the pilgrims of the 10th flight group pilgrim on Friday (10/6).

"After a pregnancy check was carried out by the health team, it was discovered that Mrs. S, aged 35, from Nganjuk, was eight weeks pregnant," he said while monitoring the arrival of JCH group 12 who entered the Surabaya Embarkation Hajj Dormitory (AHES) quoted by Antara, Saturday, June 11.

Based on the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 15 of 2016 concerning Hajj Pilgrimage Health Istithaah, pregnant women whose predicted gestational age at the time of departure is less than 14 weeks or more than 26 weeks are determined not to meet the health istithaah.

"Because they do not fulfill the health istithaah of the pilgrims, their departure has been postponed for this year," said Husnul Maram.

The Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of East Java Province said that initially the pregnant hajj candidate was going to go on pilgrimage with her husband.

"Considering several things, in the end the husband continued to go on the pilgrimage, and the wife was finally ushered back to her domicile home," he said.

Kakanwil explained that on Saturday afternoon, the 12th group from the Regency and City of Blitar, plus the 13th group from the Malang Regency had entered the Surabaya Hajj Dormitory.

There are still some suitcases that have to be unpacked by their owners because an x-ray was detected carrying items that must be checked by officers.

"There are those who bring cigarettes, the officers check their legality. I'm afraid there are illegal cigarettes. It turns out that all cigarettes brought are legal and there are no more than two slips in their suitcases. So it doesn't matter," he said.