Karhulta Smoke Fog Makes Children's ISPA, The Government Needs To Ensure Improve Health Facilities Services

Illustration. The atmosphere when South Lampung Firefighters extinguished the land fire. (ANTARA/HO/Damkarmat Lamsel)

JAKARTA - The impact of the smoke fog caused by forest and land fires (karhutla) which increased significantly compared to last year in a number of cities in Indonesia must be accompanied by an increase in health facilities (faskes) following the many cases of ARI which are suspected to have been caused by smog, especially in children.

It is known that since August, forest and land fires in Kalimantan, Sumatra, Java, Nusa Tenggara, and Papua have entered the crisis stage. Like in West Kalimantan, until now karhulta is still happening. Due to increasingly vulnerable conditions, West Kalimantan then established an emergency response status for the smoke disaster. Central Kalimantan also did the same thing.

The impact of forest and land fires which continues to spread is also felt to neighboring countries. Even the Malaysian government sent a letter of protest to the government because the smog caused by forest and land fires in Indonesia had crossed national borders.

Meanwhile, smog also has an impact on health, especially respiratory tract diseases such as ISPA which has a very bad impact on children's health. Puan reminded the Government not to take the impact of the forest and land fires that occur.

"The Karhutla problem itself can be categorized as a major disaster because of its significant impact on the community, including in terms of health," said Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, Thursday, October 11.

In Jambi City, the number of ISPA cases in July reached 5,310 cases while in August it increased to 5,477. The majority of those experiencing ARI in the region are children over the age of five who are sensitive to the disease.

Then according to the records of the Banjarbaru Health Office, South Kalimantan also saw an increase in cases of ISPA July 2023 by 2,793 cases and an increase to 3,635 cases in August 2023.

Seeing the increase in ARI cases in a number of regions, Puan urged the Government to increase efforts to handle health, especially for children affected.

"The government must ensure the availability of adequate health facilities for the community, especially in the face of an increase in the number of ISPA patients," explained Puan.

Not only that, the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture considered it important to ensure that health facilities were improved both in terms of medical personnel, medicines, and medical equipment to deal with the increase in ARI cases. Puan said that the safety of citizens must be a priority.

"This is an urgent action that must be taken to protect the health of our children. The government must act quickly in providing maximum service to public health," he explained.

On the other hand, Puan revealed that respiratory tract disorders such as ISPA will not only have an impact on physical health problems. He said, ISPA can also disrupt psychological developments and socialize children.

"They have to fight against diseases that can hinder their physical and psychological development. Children also face difficulties in going to school and socializing, which should be their right to enjoy their childhood freely," said Puan.

Karhutla itself has caused a number of regions to enforce remote schools, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic. Puan assessed that cognitive and social aspects must have an impact on the existence of this policy.

"So it is very important that the problem of forest and land fires is quickly resolved, because the impact is very real to the community," he said.

Puan appealed to the central and regional governments to provide education and socialization about the impact of smog on health disturbances. He also appealed to people in the smog circle to use masks as their own protection.

"It is necessary to increase supervision and education to the public about how to protect themselves from the impact of smog fog and avoid ARI," explained Puan.