JAKARTA: Over 6 million people in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta have been affected by acute respiratory infections due to worsening air pollution, according to the country’s environment minister.
Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said Wednesday that the air quality in parts of Jakarta reached hazardous levels, with pollution in the northern districts spiking to dangerous highs by midday. Real-time data from air quality apps like IQAir and public monitoring stations confirmed the deteriorating conditions.
“The main sources of Jakarta’s air pollution are industrial emissions and container trucks,” Hanif said. Around 6,800 industrial chimneys are registered in the capital, though the actual number may be higher due to unlicensed operations.
“We’ve begun cracking down on open burning activities, especially in metallurgy and ore smelting industries,” he added.
The health impact is severe, with preliminary data showing over 6 million people in Jakarta developing respiratory symptoms, including acute infections that could worsen existing conditions.
A 2023 study by the US National Library of Medicine found that Jakarta’s air pollution, particularly from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone (O₃), causes significant health burdens.
The study linked poor air quality to over 7,000 adverse health outcomes in children, more than 10,000 premature deaths, and over 5,000 hospitalisations annually. - Bernama, Anadolu
