Politics · Indonesia · 6 hrs ago
Indonesia urged to provide health care for people affected by fire smoke
Indonesia’s National Economic Council urged special health services for people affected by fire smoke during a discussion with President Prabowo Subianto.
The proposed services would cover six badly affected locations in Kalimantan, Jambi and Riau, and include distributing masks.
The smoke comes from forest and land fires, so the response needs to address both the fires and their effects on public health.
As of October 19, teams were still extinguishing or cooling fires across 570.08 hectares in six priority provinces.
The government had prepared 49 aircraft for firefighting and patrols, while more than 60,000 joint personnel were deployed on the ground.
The council’s proposal was made to the president, but no decision on it was reported.
Indonesia’s National Economic Council urged the government to provide special health services for people affected by forest and land fire smoke.
The proposed support includes distributing masks in six heavily affected locations in Kalimantan, Jambi and Riau.
Deputy chair Mari Elka Pangestu said the recommendation was raised during a discussion with President Prabowo Subianto about handling the fires.
The council also said the response should address fire impacts on public health, alongside firefighting measures such as watering peatland.
As of October 19, 2026, 570.08 hectares were still being extinguished or cooled across six priority provinces, according to the disaster agency.
- Who
- Indonesia’s National Economic Council, represented by Deputy Chair Mari Elka Pangestu, urged the government to act.
- What
- It called for special health services, including mask distribution, for people affected by fire smoke.
- When
- The recommendation was reported on October 21, 2026. The meeting date was not stated.
- Where
- Six heavily affected locations in Kalimantan, Jambi and Riau.
- Why
- To address the health impacts of smoke from forest and land fires.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The disaster agency reported that 570.08 hectares remained under extinguishing and cooling operations in six priority provinces.
Mari Elka Pangestu described the council’s recommendation for special health services at a press briefing in Jakarta.
- Affected locations
- Six in Kalimantan, Jambi and Riau
- Land still under operations
- 570.08 hectares as of October 19, 2026
- Total target area
- 1,024.33 hectares
- Area already extinguished
- 454.25 hectares
- Air fleet
- 49 aircraft: 32 for water bombing and 17 for patrol or weather-modification operations
- Ground personnel
- More than 60,000 across six priority provinces
What people are saying
We also advised providing health services in the places most affected, namely three provinces in Kalimantan, Jambi and Riau. Those are six locations that have been very badly affected by smoke from forest fires.
How can the government also provide special health services to these people, including distributing masks and so on.