Jakarta, May 2 -- Indonesian Hajj pilgrims now have improved and exclusive access to Saudi Arabian hospitals, allowing them to bypass the lengthy health referral bureaucracy and receive immediate treatment, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated.

"The number of our personnel at the Indonesian Hajj Health Office (KKHI) can be reduced because Indonesian Hajj pilgrims get better and more exclusive access to Saudi hospitals. They do not have to wait too long at KKHI," he noted during a press conference on Friday.

He highlighted that the 2023 Hajj season witnessed the highest number of Indonesian pilgrim deaths, with 773 fatalities. In 2024, the figure dropped to 461, a decrease attributed to stricter health screenings.

"We made improve...