Zamboanga City – The provincial governments of Sulu and Lanao del Sur have announced their moves to send separate medical teams to complement the national government’s assistance for Muslim Filipino pilgrims to Makkah, Saudi Arabia this year.

Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan and Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto-Adiong said their separate medical teams, both with physicians, nurses, and substantial medical supplies, have already been set up for the coming pilgrimage, which is scheduled on December.

Tan and Adiong said their respective offices backed by the integrated provincial health offices, in coordination with the Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA), opted to make early preparations to ensure that the Filipino pilgrims to the hajj this year would be free from viral illnesses.

They said the Saudi government is set to impose stiffer measures in its entry points during the coming hajj amid the widespread reports on the Influenza A(H1N1) virus or swine flu.

This coming hajj would be Tan’s first time to send his own medical team for the religious trip, though he had performed the hajj many times.

During the previous hajj years, he said, he had observed the lack of medicines and health services for Filipino pilgrims.

While for Adiong, this year would be his fourth time in sending successive medical teams for the annual pilgrimage.

Previous pilgrims from his province had also received cash assistance and support gadgets, said Adiong, who is reportedly groomed by the President as the next Amirul Hajj (head of mission) this year upon endorsements from various sectors including the influential Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC).

In a press statement, Tan said he was also offered the Amirul Hajj position but he declined, citing many pressing concerns facing his province this year.