South Kalimantan Governor warns prospective Hajj pilgrims not to consume ice water

Banjarbaru (ANTARA) - South Kalimantan Governor Muhidin has reminded prospective Hajj pilgrims not to consume ice water or cold water while in the Holy Land to avoid health disruptions. “Usually, when it’s scorching hot, one is tempted to drink ice, but it should not be consumed because it is prone to causing sore throats, leading to coughs and colds as well as digestive issues,” he advised the prospective Hajj pilgrims during the send-off for the first batch from Banjarmasin Embarkation on Thursday night. Muhidin urged the pilgrims to consume plain water without ice and to avoid sweet drinks and the like. He stated that health condition is an important factor for pilgrims to carry out the entire series of Hajj rituals. The Governor also advised the accompanying medical team to continuously monitor the pilgrims’ health conditions, including controlling their activities. “If any pilgrim is found doing something not good, especially for health, they must be reprimanded; that is the role of the accompanying doctors to educate the pilgrims, not just to sit idly,” he stressed. A total of 359 prospective Hajj pilgrims were sent off for the first batch from Banjarmasin Embarkation using Garuda Indonesia flight number GA-8101, consisting of 148 men and 211 women, on Friday (24/4) in the early hours.