Prevent Respiratory Diseases, Minister Of Health Asks Puskesmas To Routinely Check Air Quality

Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin asked all health centers in the DKI Jakarta area to routinely check air quality through the sanitari kit tool to strengthen data surveillance related to air pollution. "Starting next week, my interest is measured every week. With that, we know in all health centers in DKI Jakarta where the air pollution is high," said Budi, quoted by ANTARA, Sunday, August 27. If the results of the measurement show a high number, then Puskesmas officers must send the sample to the health laboratory to check air pollution sources. Through this surveillance, the central government can propose to the local government to tackle the largest emission-producing sectors in Jakarta. Minister Budi revealed that there are three main causes of air pollution, namely transportation, steam power plants that use coal fuel, and industries that use coal or other carbon fuels. "Thus, we can propose for example for the South Jakarta area to be taken care of cars, West Jakarta because many factories from Tangerang that must be taken care of," he said. Based on data from the Ministry of Health, PM 2.5 pollution particles could cause various respiratory diseases that disrupt human health. There are five respiratory diseases, namely respiratory infections, chronic obstruction pulmonary disease, pneumonia, pneumonia, and tuberculosis.

In 2022, BPJS Kesehatan claims Rp10 trillion for the treatment costs of the five respiratory diseases.

Minister Budi appealed to people who are active outside the home to wear masks in an effort to prevent PM2.5 from being inhaled into the lungs considering that the number of people affected by the disease now reaches 200 thousand people per month higher than last year's figure of only 50 thousand people per month. "If you have an illness (pulmonary disease) you have to go to a doctor. The most important step is to prevent, if possible, more people use public transportation," he concluded.