Indonesian baby dies due to haze

The haze which is allegedly caused by forest and land fires in Riau is also wreaking havoc in South Sumatra.

After three days of intense haze invading their home, Ngadirun (34) and Ita Septiana’s (27), 4-month-old baby became very sick.

Elsa Pitaloka caught a cold, cough and flatulence. And on Sunday, September 15, in the morning, Elsa was rushed by her mother to a local midwife’s house because her health condition had declined. She began experiencing shortness of breath.

The husband and wife then rushed the child to the Ar Rasyid Hospital in Palembang on his motorcycle.

Health officials did all they could, but after seven hours of treatment Elsa’s condition worsened.

Elsa was pronounced dead.

“The doctor said there was a respiratory disorder. I have sincerely accepted it,” the father said.

She is one of the many untold stories of victims who are falling to the haze in Indonesia while the authorities of the country are playing the blame-game against neighbours.

In 2015, more than 140,000 Indonesians have reported respiratory illnesses in haze-affected areas. That was in the month of October. There were 19 reported deaths due to respiratory failures.

This year, the forest fires have so far claimed the lives of two siblings aged seven and 11 in West Kalimantan province, a firefighter in Jambi province and at least six farmers in Riau, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, reports CNA.

More than 4,000 hotspots were detected in the central and western parts of Indonesia where dozens of plantations, including concessions owned by foreign companies were sealed off. -/TISG