Health Ministry Calls for Tighter Hajj Health Standards After Spike in Hajj Deaths

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Health Ministry has reported that 418 Indonesian pilgrims died during the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage. This figure accumulates deaths from the first day of the pilgrimage, May 1, 2025, until the 60th day, June 30, 2025.

Mohammad Imran, Head of the Health Department of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Organizers Association (PPIH) in Saudi Arabia, said that this death toll is higher than the previous year. The primary causes of death among pilgrims included heart disease, acute ischemic heart disease, and acute respiratory distress syndrome in adults.

According to Imran, this statistic should serve as a stark warning for the Indonesian government. "We convey that the high death toll should serve as a reminder for all stakeholders," he said in a written statement on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

The high death toll of Indonesian pilgrims has also drawn special attention from the Saudi Arabian Hajj Ministry. Saudi Arabia's Deputy Hajj Minister, Abdul Fatah Mashat, specifically mentioned the istitha'ah (ability) standards of Indonesian pilgrims, which he considered "very problematic."

He urged the Indonesian government to implement stricter standards for assessing pilgrims' ability, including more rigorous screening, monitoring, and health supervision before their departure.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry stated in an official release that they had already regulated the health istitha'ah of Hajj pilgrims through the Minister of Health Decree Number HK.01.07/Menkes/508/2024. This decree outlines various criteria for meeting health istitha'ah requirements, which are assessed through physical, cognitive, mental health examinations, and the ability to perform daily activities.

However, the Health Ministry clarified that it only has the authority to set general standards, while the implementation falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

"The Religious Affairs Ministry and the Hajj Management Agency (BPH) are tasked with socializing and integrating the health istitha'ah requirements into the Hajj registration and payment system," said Aji Muhawarman, Head of the Ministry of Health's Communication Bureau.

Therefore, the Health Ministry encourages the BPH to enforce stricter regulations for upcoming Hajj seasons. "With synergy and commitment from all parties, the Health Ministry hopes to reduce the death toll of Hajj pilgrims in the coming Hajj seasons," he concluded.

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