Hajj 2023 Records The Death Of The Highest Congregation In The Last 10 Years, Ministry Of Religion Takes Anticipatory Steps 2024

Prospective hajj wearing an umbrella minimizes the heat after the Zuhur prayer at the Grand Mosque of Makkah on Tuesday 6 June. (ANTARA-Wahyu Putro A).

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) stated that the implementation of the 1444 Hijri pilgrimage or 2023 AD provides lessons on the importance of preparing the health of the pilgrims as early as possible.

Based on Integrated Hajj Computerization System (Siskohat) data, there were 774 Indonesian pilgrims who died during the 2023 Hajj. This figure is the highest in the last 10 years.

"This is important, early on, it must be prepared so that when the call comes the congregation is ready physically and mentally," said Special Staff to the Minister of Religion for Media and Public Communication Wibowo Prasetyo, in Jakarta, Wednesday, November 1, confiscated by Antara.

On the same occasion, Wibowo said that the health issue of the congregation was one of the Ministry of Religion's attention in preparing for the operation of the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage.

"In organizing the 2024 Hajj, we will try to make Hajj healthy, comfortable, and prosperous. Mudzarah Perhajian which discusses istithah or health skills is one of the first steps," he said.

Istithah kesehatan, lanjut Wibowo, menekankan pentingnya kemampuan fisik calon haji. Penerapan istithah untuk penyelenggaraan tahun depan guna menekan angka kematian saat di Tanah Suci.

"We want the death rate of the congregation next year to be lower than in 2023," he said.

Wibowo said a number of steps would be prepared by the Ministry of Religion, one of which was to raise the awareness of the congregation of the importance of maintaining health in the implementation of the pilgrimage. Moreover, health isitah will be a condition for payment of the Hajj Travel Fee (Bipih).

"Congregants who are examined and healthy are asked to maintain their health and in due course they can pay for the cost of Hajj. Pilgrims who are examined and sick are asked to do recovery so they can pay off," he said.