Lebih 333,000 kes jangkitan pernafasan akut di Indonesia

Indonesia recorded over 333,000 cases of acute respiratory infections linked to forest and land fires in multiple regions, according to the country's health ministry. The country's Air Quality Index (IPU) indicates that air quality in several areas has reached hazardous levels, particularly in Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West and Central Kalimantan.

Air pollutants from forest fires like PM2.5, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and organic compounds can cause various health issues, including acute respiratory infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), eye and skin irritation, and other health complications. President Prabowo Subianto stated that foreign companies may lose their operating permits if found responsible for repeated forest and land fires, and revoking permits could be granted to young Indonesians.

Foreign companies responsible for forest fires have held concessions for decades, but some have violated them repeatedly, with some exceeding 19 violations. Meanwhile, thousands of students and general public staged a demonstration in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, urging the government to declare forest and land fires a national disaster.

Indonesia is currently experiencing a prolonged dry season, and the El Nino phenomenon has further increased the risk of forest fires.