Oxygen bus now drives around Kalimantan, Indonesia, as residents struggle to breathe amid fires

INDONESIA: With residents of Kalimantan, Indonesia, having to deal with the severe haze due to widespread forest and peat wood fires, the administration of Palangka Raya has deployed an oxygen bus staffed by medical personnel and equipped with oxygen tanks to give relief to those suffering from respiratory problems.

While haze recurs regularly, this year’s conditions have been the worst since 2015, in part due to the extraordinarily dry Super El Niño phenomenon. The haze crossed borders and has caused problems for neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.

The biggest victims, however, have been Indonesians themselves, particularly those living in Borneo and Sumatra.

Air pollution levels of 300 are considered dangerous, but in these areas, readings have crossed over 1,000, three or four times the threshold. The country has seen 4,390 additional hospitalisations due to acute respiratory illnesses this year so far, as well as at least 635,000 severe asthma attacks among children. In Malaysia, meanwhile, there has been a 259% increase in asthma, and a 124% rise in upper respiratory tract infections.

Oxygen bus

The oxygen bus lets people connect to oxygen tanks for five to ten minutes at a time.

According to the Central Kalimantan provincial health department, “The service is intended to help people access oxygen, particularly those experiencing respiratory problems or who need oxygen support amid unhealthy air quality conditions.”

The bus programme also distributes masks and vitamins, the department said in an Instagram post, and operates daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Last week, demonstrations rocked several cities in Indonesia, with thousands of people taking to the streets to protest the government’s handling of the forest and peatland fires leading to the haze.

Citizens, students, and members of environmental groups protested in several cities across the country.

One sign memorably read, “I have the right to breathe. Extinguish the fires immediately!”

The demonstrations occurred on Oct 20 (Tuesday), which happened to be the second anniversary of Prabowo Subianto’s presidency.

Protestors are asking him not only to declare a national emergency, but also to take measures to avoid the farming practices that have kept the fires burning.

Moreover, they are calling for the companies responsible for the fires to be held accountable, as well as for the cost of living to be lowered, specifically those related to healthcare and education. /TISG

Read also: Singapore is ready to use every lever at its disposal to hold those responsible for haze to account