Ministry Of Health Forms Disease Management Committee For The Impact Of Air Pollution

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) formed a Committee for Combating Respiratory Diseases and Air Pollution in response to the impact of the pollution situation which is currently raging in the Greater Jakarta area and its surroundings.

"We responded quickly to form the Committee for Combating Respiratory Diseases and Air Pollution," said Director General (Dirjen) of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) of the Ministry of Health Maxi Rein Rondonuwu as reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 28.

Maxi said the results of disease surveillance that arise from the impact of air pollution in Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi) are an increase in cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI) to an average of 200 thousand cases per month.

The data was compiled from reports from service officers at health centers and hospitals in the local area in the past month.

Maxi delegated a number of tasks to the Committee for Combating Respiratory Diseases and Air Pollution in accordance with the main duties and functions of the Ministry of Health.

This task is in the form of educating the public about the dangers of pollution for health, as well as prevention efforts.

Next, in the form of surveillance through the cooperation of monitoring particulates (PM2.5) as pollution-forming particles that are smaller than 2.5 microns for measured levels in Jabodetabek.

The Ministry of Health together with the committee also conduct regular surveillance every week to monitor the rate of cases of ARI and pneumonia in health centers and hospitals, along with the implementation of an early alert system and response.

"We are inventorying pneumonia in Jabodetabek hospitals so that all can handle pneumonia in Jabodetabek," he said.

Dalam agenda yang sama, Ketua Komite Penanggulangan Penyakit Respirasi dan Pollusi Udara Pro Agus Dwi Susanto mengatakan PM2.5 terbukti memberikan dampak pada kesehatan masyarakat, selain gas sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide, dan ozone.

"The list of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) is said to have increased PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 has actually contributed to the increase in cases of ISPA and pneumonia in Jakarta in the period nearly 10 years after research," he said.

Agus, who is also the President Director of the Friendship Hospital in East Jakarta, translated the assignment of the Indonesian Ministry of Health into four work sectors, namely, the detection sector by monitoring air quality, especially in DKI Jakarta, through the installation of air gauges at health centers and hospitals for early detection of pollution.

Furthermore, developing an early warning system for people who are integrated with the OneSehat Application and conveying what application users should do.

"Third, we are conducting education to introduce health protocols and finally in the form of studies or research related to the impact of air on health," he said.