Minister Of Health: Air Pollution Is The Main Cause Of Pneumonia And ISPA

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Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin explained that air pollution is one of the main causes of pneumonia, acute respiratory infection (ARI), and asthma.

"We have analyzed what causes this respiratory disease... the most dominant of the three diseases, namely pneumonia, ARI, and asthma, is caused by air pollution," said Minister of Health Budi after attending a limited meeting on air pollution led by President Joko Widodo at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 28.

In addition to the three diseases, the Minister of Health also mentioned three severe diseases due to respiratory problems, namely lung cancer, chronic lung disease, and tuberculosis.

The diseases caused by respiratory problems are said to have burdened BPJS Kesehatan up to Rp10 trillion.

Seeing the huge impact of air pollution on public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) then asked the Indonesian government to monitor pollutants components in the air.

"We are asked to monitor five components in the air, three of which are gas and the other two are solid small items. The gases are sulfur, CO, nitrogen, and the two particles are PM10 micro and PM2.5 whose danger is 2.5 because it can enter (the lungs) and then cause pneumonia which in BPJS the biggest burden," said Budi, explaining.

Particulate Matter (PM2.5) is an air particle that measures smaller than or equal to 2.5 micrometers. PM2.5 concentration measurements use the Beta ray emitting method with a microgram unit per cubic meter (MM/M3).

Previously, the Ministry of Health 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.

The results of disease surveillance that arise from the impact of air pollution in Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi) are the increase in ARI cases which reaches 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.

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.