VP INSPECTS RI HAJJ HEALTH CENTER IN MECCA

Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Aug 22 (ANTARA) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla inspected preparations to set up an Indonesian Hajj Health Center (BPHI) in the holy city of Mecca on Saturday.

The health center would serve Indonesian hajj pilgrim who fall ill during their stay in Saudi Arabia.

During his visit to the health center here on Saturday, the vice president was accompanied by a number of legislators, among others Ali Mochtar Ngabalin, Ferry Mursidan Baldan, and Hajriyanto Thohari.

On the occasion, the Health Ministry's medical service director general dr Farid Hussein explained to the vice president and his entourage the work prcedure at the BPHI.

Dr Farid Hussein said the Indonesian Hajj Health Center this year occupies new building because the leasing period of the old building was over.

"This is a new building that we lease this year for Indonesian Hajj Health Center," Farid said, adding that the nine-story building was leased for five years at Rp12 billion per year.

He said the building had a total floor-space of 6,200 square meters and an underground parking facility.

Data made available to Anatara here indicated that during the 2006 hajj season, 664 pilgrims from Indonesia died in the holy land but since the existence of the health center the number of deaths continued to drop to 462 in 2007 and 446 in 2008.

The inspection to the BPHI was part of the vice president's six-day visit to Mecca and Medina.

At the BPHI, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said he was delighted because the building was better than the previous one, but he expressed hope that no or few hajj pilgrim would need to make use of its services.

"I hope the health center will not be used a lot. What I mean here is that hopefully no or not many Indonesian hajj pilgrims will fall ill," Kalla said.