Indonesia reviews 2026 Hajj services to improve pilgrim care

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, said a series of service innovations introduced by the government has significantly improved this year's Hajj pilgrimage.

Speaking at the opening of the National Working Meeting (Rakernas) on the 2026 Hajj Evaluation in Jakarta on Saturday, Yusuf said one of the key innovations was a fairer distribution of Hajj quotas among provinces.

The government also reduced the Hajj pilgrimage cost by around Rp2 million (approximately US$111) and introduced the distribution of Nusuk Cards to Indonesian pilgrims before their departure.

He said these improvements had provided direct benefits to pilgrims, although further refinements would be made based on the results of the evaluation.

According to Yusuf, the 2026 National Working Meeting on Hajj Evaluation provides an opportunity to identify shortcomings in this year's pilgrimage operations and formulate measures to improve future services.

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He emphasized that all weaknesses must be assessed transparently to enhance the quality of Hajj services and ensure future pilgrimage operations are better prepared and more effective.

Yusuf acknowledged that healthcare services for pilgrims remain an area requiring serious attention. Although pilgrim mortality rates dropped by approximately 25 percent from the previous year, the figure is still considered high.

"A death toll of around 350 is still significant. Moving forward, one of our main tasks will be strengthening health istitha'ah (physical and mental fitness for Hajj)," he said.

He also identified services in Mina, Saudi Arabia, as one of the main challenges during this year's Hajj operations and called on all officials within the ministry to prepare concrete measures to improve conditions for future pilgrimages.

In addition to the evaluation, Yusuf said the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah will organize a staff retreat to strengthen workforce preparedness. The program is intended to improve physical and mental resilience while fostering stronger teamwork ahead of the next Hajj season.

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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Raka Adji

Editor: Primayanti

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