TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has sent 57 tons of medicines to overcome Indonesian hajj pilgrims health problems when they perform hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this year.

"The 57 tons of medicines put in 3,680 pillboxes arrived at health clinics in Mecca yesterday," Chief of the Hajj Health Center at the Health Ministry Eka Jusup Singka said on Tuesday.

The Hajj Health Center will make available a variety of medicines to Indonesian hajj pilgrims, suffering from light to chronic diseases, during their stay in the Holy Land, he stated.

All the medicines have been adjusted to various diseases based on experiences in the previous years, as well as to the current and future characteristics of hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, he noted.

"The medicines are for various diseases, including hypertension, heart disease, psychiatric disorder, and cough, as well as vitamin medicines," he explained.

Such medicines are also found in medicines boxes in 507 flight batches equipped with medical workers, he remarked.

Besides medicines, the Hajj Health Center also prepares a total of 268 medical workers to provide health counseling and services, including intensive care services for hajj pilgrims, he noted.

The first flight batch of Indonesian hajj pilgrims this year is scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia on July 28.

ANTARA