PPIH repatriates 142 ailing hajj pilgrims through Tanazul programme

Makkah (ANTARA) - The Hajj Organising Committee (PPIH) in Saudi Arabia has repatriated 142 ailing pilgrims to Indonesia through the Tanazul programme, facilitated by the Indonesian Hajj Health Clinic (KKHI).

Syougie, the KKHI Makkah evacuation coordinator for Tanazul, explained that the programme is designed for pilgrims who are deemed fit to fly based on medical assessments. “This Tanazul programme is for pilgrims who, on medical indication, are repatriated earlier than their flight group. Or if a pilgrim is hospitalised and their group has already returned to Indonesia, we send them home,” Syougie stated in Makkah on Tuesday.

He stressed that every pilgrim proposed for the programme must undergo a health evaluation, with flight safety as the primary consideration. The medical team then assesses the patient’s stability and consults with the responsible specialist doctor. “After assessing their stability, we consult with the relevant DPJP. For example, if there is a heart problem, we consult a cardiologist; post-stroke, we consult a neurologist. The results determine whether they are fit to fly and can be programmed for transfer,” Syougie explained.

He noted that KKHI received around 400 Tanazul requests. However, not all resulted in evacuation, as some pilgrims’ conditions improved and they were able to return with their original flight groups. Syougie confirmed that sick pilgrims enrolled in the Tanazul programme remain under strict medical supervision until departure. “For sick pilgrims, we will reassess them before the flight,” he said. He added that medical assistance is guaranteed throughout the repatriation process, with health workers monitoring the evacuated pilgrims from the airport waiting room until they board the aircraft bound for Indonesia.