Hajj Minister Gus Irfan Says Indonesian Pilgrim Deaths Down in 2026

Minister of Hajj and Umrah M Irfan Yusuf, known as Gus Irfan, has stated that the number of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims who passed away this year has decreased compared to last year. He has not yet detailed the exact number of deaths but confirmed the figure is lower than the previous year. “The latest count was still below 300, we don’t know the exact number yet, wait for the final report tonight. Yes, it is lower than last year,” Gus Irfan said in Hambalang, West Java, on Wednesday (17/6). The minister also outlined government measures to reduce the mortality rate among pilgrims. He said the government will enhance supervision of the istitaah (health and capability assessment) phase prior to departure. Additionally, he stated that efforts will continue to find the right formula to suppress the death rate of Indonesian pilgrims. “We begin with a truly serious health istitaah at the start before the payment stage and then re-examine before departure, and thank God we have been able to reduce the number of deaths, although it is not yet satisfactory,” he said. Beyond focusing on the health aspects of pilgrims, Gus Irfan noted the government is continuously working to shorten the waiting time for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims. He mentioned that the longest waiting period currently is 26 years, but the average waiting time now ranges between 13 and 14 years. “Hopefully next year we can shorten it even further,” he said. On Wednesday, President Prabowo received the 2026 Hajj Supervisory Team. Also present were Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Cucun Sjamsurijal and Chairman of Commission VIII Marwan Dasopang, along with Minister of Hajj and Umrah M Irfan Yusuf, Deputy Minister Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, and Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi.