This allocation has been provided by the state budget (APBN), thus it will not be borne by the pilgrims.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Health Ministry has prepared a budget of Rp389.8 billion for providing health services during the 1444 Hijri/2023 Hajj pilgrimage season, Head of the ministry’s Hajj Health Center Liliek Marhaendra Susilo has informed.

"This allocation has been provided by the state budget (APBN), thus it will not be borne by the pilgrims," he said during a hearing with Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) here on Thursday.

He informed that the largest component of the allocation is a budget of Rp212.7 billion for the assignment of Hajj health workers based on an estimation that there will be 507 pilgrimage flight groups this year.

The fund covers the salaries as well as the accommodation and flight costs for the medical officers.

Meanwhile, Rp87.4 billion has been earmarked in the budget for the provision of medicines and medical devices, Rp29.1 billion for the provision of meningitis vaccines, and Rp33.6 billion for the establishment of a health clinic for Indonesian pilgrims.

"The cost for (the establishment of) the health clinic comprises (the budget for) preparing the permit and paying the (location) lease," the Health Ministry official said.

The budget will also finance a Hajj health worker competency training worth Rp8.1 billion and an integrated debriefing of the Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH) worth Rp3.1 billion.

Its last component is a deconcentration fund of Rp15.8 billion, which will be used to carry out an integrated debriefing of medical officers in 13 provinces selected for Hajj embarkation.

In addition, the Health Ministry will prepare to conduct health examinations and monitoring of the pilgrims.

The examinations will be carried out by the local community health centers (puskesmas) or district/city hospitals.

The results of the examinations will be recorded in the integrated Hajj pilgrimage computerized system for the health sector (Siskohatkes) and the data will be monitored every two weeks.

However, Susilo said that pilgrims whose departure was postponed in the previous year will not need to undergo a health examination again since they have completed it earlier.

Still, the health of the postponed pilgrims will be monitored, he added.

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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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