VP inspects RI hajj health center in Mecca

Vice President Jusuf Kalla inspected a newly set up Indonesian hajj health henter (BPHI) in Mecca on Saturday, Antara news agency has reported.

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

Farid Hussein, the Health Ministry's medical service director general, said the health center occupies new building, leased for five years at Rp12 (US$1,200) billion per year, because the leasing period of the old building was over.

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

During the 2006 hajj season, 664 pilgrims from Indonesia died in the holy land but since the health center was set up 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.

"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.