Indonesia records 333,470 respiratory illness cases linked to ongoing forest fires
Photo: (left) Morning sky in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan; (right) Forest fire started in Berau, East Kalimantan
INDONESIA: Indonesia has recorded 333,470 cases of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) linked to forest and land fires, as worsening air pollution continues to pose health risks across several regions.
According to New Straits Times (NST), the Health Ministry said on Thursday that daily cases remained high, with 4,522 new cases reported, according to Anadolu Agency, citing state news agency Antara.
The ministry’s director of environmental health, Then Suyanti, said the latest Air Pollutant Index readings showed that air quality in several areas had reached hazardous levels.
The affected areas include six provinces prioritised for fire management: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.
Wildfire smoke poses serious health risks
Suyanti warned that exposure to wildfire smoke could cause a range of health problems because it contains fine particulate matter, including PM2.5, as well as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other organic compounds.
These pollutants can contribute to acute respiratory infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, eye and skin irritation, and other systemic health effects.
The rising number of respiratory cases comes as Indonesia continues to battle forest and land fires amid an unusually prolonged dry season, with El Niño contributing to conditions favourable for wildfires.
Prabowo warns companies over repeated fire violations
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said on Thursday that foreign-backed companies found responsible for recurring forest and land fires could have their operating permits revoked.
He added that concessions withdrawn from companies could be reassigned to younger Indonesians.
“Regarding forest fires, there are indications that many foreign companies bear responsibility. They have held concessions for over a decade, yet some have committed violations three, four, or even a dozen times — some as many as 19 times,” Prabowo said, as quoted by NST.
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He added that companies should lose their permits if they committed two violations.
The remarks come as authorities face pressure to strengthen enforcement against parties allegedly responsible for repeated fires, which have contributed to deteriorating air quality and growing public health concerns.
Read related: ‘Declare a national emergency’: Indonesian students protest as wildfire haze blankets Palangkaraya