Minister Of Health Makes New Referral Health Centers Udate For Information On Jakarta Air Pollution

The multilevel building is disguised by the fog of air pollution in Jakarta, Friday, June 17, 2022. (ANTARA-Aprillio A)

Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the puskesmas in DKI Jakarta would be a source of information regarding the state of air pollution in the capital city.

He also asked all Puskesmas in DKI to routinely check air quality through sanitari kits to strengthen data surveillance related to air pollution. "Starting next week I ask for measurements every week. With that, we know that in all health centers in DKI Jakarta where the air pollution is high," Budi said after attending the free day of CFD eyebrow motorized vehicles on Jalan MH Thamrin, Jakarta, Sunday, August 27, it was confiscated by Antara. If the results of the measurement show a high number, then Puskesmas officers must send the sample to the health laboratory to check the source of air pollution. 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 by cars, West Jakarta because many factories from Tangerang that must be taken care of," he said.

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, PM2.5 pollution particles can cause various respiratory diseases that interfere with human health. There are five major respiratory diseases, namely respiratory tract infections, chronic obstructive lung disease, 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 as an effort to prevent PM2.5 from being inhaled into the lungs considering that the number of people affected by the disease is now 200 thousand people per month higher than last year's figure which was only 50 thousand people per month. "If you have been infected (pulmonary disease) you have to go to the doctor. The most important step is to prevent, if you can use more people using public transportation," he concluded.