Sulu Hajj 2009 medical mission successful

SULU. Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / January 10, 2009) - The Sulu Hajj Medical Team 2009 successfully achieved its objective of easing the conditions of the many Filipino pilgrims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The team catered to the medical needs of pilgrims not only from the province of Sulu, but from Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, Palawan, Zamboanga City, Cotabato, Davao City and Sabah, Malaysia.

Two pilgrims from Naga and five from General Santos City were also treated by the Sulu team consisted of 3 doctors - Dr. Fahra T. Omar, Dr. Akhramien T. Hassan, and Dr. Aldrin B. Indanan - and 4 nurses, - Enderina T. Najar, Abbasia S. Baih, Nur Aiza Ibrahim and Sulu’s First Lady, herself a registered nurse, Hadja Nurunisah A. Tan.

The travel expenses and allowances of the Sulu Hajj Medical team were sponsored by Governor Abdusakur M. Tan as well as the medicines bought in Saudi Arabia with some coming from the Integrated Provincial Health office of Sulu. The Office of Muslim Affairs also donated some medicines. There were more than a thousand patient contacts in Makkah, Mina and Arafat.

Though Governor Tan sent a substantial amount of medicines for the Hajj in 2008 and previous trips, this was the first time the Sulu Provincial Government sponsored a Hajj Medical Mission. One pilgrim treated from Tawi-Tawi who is a media practitioner commented that may this legacy of Governor Tan be emulated by other provinces.

In Arafat, a pilgrim from Cotabato City who was so emotional in expressing his gratitude for the noble endeavor of Governor Tan, said “pati kami nakinabang sa kabutihan ni Governor Tan, may Allah bless him more.”

Another one from Davao congratulated the Sulu Hajj Medical team for having a pro-active chief executive.

The Sulu Hajj Medical Team said it was profoundly grateful to Governor Tan not only because they were able to perform the Hajj but for the opportunity to be of service to people who are fulfilling their religious obligations.

"We salute the generosity of the First Lady Hadja Nurunisah Tan not only for the medicines but even for some basic needs of the Sulu pilgrims. We also commend the competence and most of all the compassion of the members of the team. We truly enjoyed the Hajj mission, emotionally, professionally and spiritually," the Sulu Hajj Medical Team said in a statement.

"Generally, the rites of the Hajj were carried out smoothly though there are still a lot of opportunities for improvement. We hope there would be better coordination among the OMA, the sheiks, and the Philippine Embassy. The local government units - provincial and city - could do a lot to minimize the difficulties and maximize the spiritual high of the visitors of Allah," it added. (Mindanao Examiner)