Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Health is strengthening logistical support, including face masks and oxygen concentrators, to assist 5.4 million people affected by forest and land fires across seven provinces.
“We have distributed a total of 5.3 million masks to the wildfire-affected areas. Provincial stocks remain sufficient, with 2.7 million masks still available,” Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said in Jakarta on Friday.
He expressed hope that ongoing firefighting efforts will reduce pollution and lessen the demand for masks, which remain one of the best protections in addition to avoiding outdoor activities in areas with poor air quality.
Additionally, the ministry continues to identify needs across affected provinces, districts, and cities to ensure adequate mask supplies, while actively educating the public.
To address urgent medical needs, the Ministry of Health is also supplying oxygen concentrators to hard-hit areas to ensure a steady supply of oxygen.
Key strategies deployed by the ministry include intensifying health promotion and public outreach; monitoring cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI), pneumonia, asthma, as well as eye and skin irritation; tracking air quality; and issuing advisories.
Furthermore, the ministry has alerted the Public Safety Center, set up emergency health posts, prepared referral hospitals, and mobilized logistical aid.
According to data from the ministry’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center, as of August 27, 4,082 respiratory infection cases were reported in areas affected by forest and land fires, bringing the cumulative total in these regions to 13,449 cases.
A prolonged dry season has triggered an increase in wildfires, particularly in South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Jambi, Riau, and South Sumatra.
As of August 27, 2026, Air Pollutant Index data for the affected provinces showed that Pontianak, West Kalimantan, recorded a score of 328, placing it in the hazardous category.
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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Raka Adji
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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