Kalsel Ministry of Hajj: Services for Elderly and Disabled Pilgrims as Top Priority
Banjarmasin (ANTARA) - The Head of the South Kalimantan Regional Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj), Dr H Eddy Khairani, has assured that services for prospective Hajj pilgrims (JCH) in the categories of elderly, frail, and disabled are the top priority at the Banjarmasin Embarkation for the Hajj season of 1447 H / 2026 AD.
“We ensure it runs according to the established procedures,” he stated at the Hajj Dormitory of the Banjarmasin Embarkation in Banjarbaru City on Friday.
To confirm this, he personally went to the field to comprehensively monitor the service processes, from the Hajj dormitory to the airport.
He expressed appreciation for the dedication of the special service team, which has been deemed to have worked exceptionally well, even sacrificing rest time to accompany priority pilgrims. This is because every batch contains many priority pilgrims.
Eddy emphasised that the priority pilgrim facilitation system has been well organised, from departure time arrangements and bus boarding turns to the process of entering the aircraft.
“The facilitation time arrangements, bus boarding flow, to boarding—all have run orderly and provided comfort. This is important so that pilgrims do not feel rushed or fatigued,” he said.
He added that direct evaluations from pilgrims are an important indicator in assessing service quality.
Eddy also reminded all officers to maintain service standards with a humane and empathetic approach.
“Do not only focus on technical aspects, but also on the human touch. Elderly and disabled pilgrims need extra attention, not just physically but also psychologically,” he stressed.
In addition, he emphasised the importance of cross-sectoral coordination in supporting the smooth service for priority pilgrims.
“Collaboration among officers, both from special services, transportation, and health, must continue to be strengthened. With solid teamwork, services will be increasingly optimal,” he said.
The Banjarmasin Embarkation will dispatch a total of 19 batches of JCH from South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan in 2026, with 6,822 prospective pilgrims.