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East Java Records Highest Hajj Pilgrim Deaths in Indonesia
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

East Java Records Highest Hajj Pilgrim Deaths in Indonesia

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • East Java recorded the highest number of Hajj pilgrim deaths in Indonesia during the 2026 Hajj season, with 65 fatalities.
  • This figure represents a significant decrease from the previous year, which saw over 100 deaths, but remains the highest among Indonesian provinces.
  • The majority of deceased pilgrims had pre-existing health conditions, prompting the government to consider stricter health screenings for future Hajj participants.

East Java has emerged as the province with the highest number of Hajj pilgrim deaths in Indonesia for the 2026 Hajj season, with 65 pilgrims from the region passing away. This figure, while a significant reduction from the previous year's total of over 100 deaths, still marks it as the province with the highest mortality rate.

East Java is one of the regions with a high mortality rate, a high death rate for its pilgrims. Today, 65 people. Although there has been a significant decrease compared to last year.

— Dahnil Anzar SimanjuntakDeputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, commenting on the number of Hajj pilgrim deaths from East Java.

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, stated that the majority of these pilgrims had pre-existing health conditions, commonly known as comorbidities. These included respiratory issues like pneumonia and heart conditions. Simanjuntak emphasized that age alone is not a determining factor for a pilgrim's health or eligibility, citing examples of elderly individuals who remain robust while younger people may have significant health challenges.

The majority were pneumonia, respiratory, blindness, heart conditions because they had comorbidities from within their bodies. If that is the case, rest becomes a serious note.

— Dahnil Anzar SimanjuntakExplaining the common health issues among deceased Hajj pilgrims.

In response to the ongoing trend, the ministry plans to implement stricter health eligibility (istithaah kesehatan) requirements for prospective Hajj pilgrims. The focus will be on enhancing the thoroughness of domestic health examinations, particularly concerning comorbidities such as heart disease and high blood pressure, before pilgrims are cleared for travel.

Regarding age, this is debatable because it is not a measure. If you notice, there are our fathers aged 70 who are farmers but are fit and healthy, while perhaps you, aged 40 or 50, sometimes look like you are 70 years old. There are many like that, right?

— Dahnil Anzar SimanjuntakDiscussing why age should not be the sole factor in determining pilgrim health.

Beyond health screenings, the ministry is committed to improving the overall quality of services provided to Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. Simanjuntak acknowledged that enhancing pilgrim services remains a key priority and an ongoing task for the ministry.

Notes for East Java going forward, what we must tighten is health eligibility.

— Dahnil Anzar SimanjuntakStating the ministry's intention to tighten health screenings for future Hajj pilgrims from East Java.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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