Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - The Banjarmasin Health Office stated that thanks to the rain, cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI or ISPA) fell sharply.
Head of the office Tabiun Huda here on Tuesday said that until September 2023 the city has recorded 6,321 ISPA cases.
But since October 14, 2023, he said, the number of patients was only 158.
"The cases are decreasing with the rain, the haze raising from forest and land fires (karhutla) is also decreasing," he said.
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ISPA cases rocketed highly in the last few months due to forest and land fires (karhutla) that continuously hitting South Kalimantan.
Especially in the districts and city areas that neighbor Banjarmasin, namely Banjar District, Barito Kuala District, Tanah Laut District, and Banjarbaru City.
However, currently karhutla gradually subsiding due to rain in the last few days.
Meanwhile, to protect residents from ISPA, the Health Office has applied various efforts of prevention and general health service.
It prepared 28 community health centers (puskesmas) across five sub-districts in the city to be always standby for haze disasters.
"We also provide oxygen constrators in 13 puskesmas and 24 hours PSC services," he said.
With the fall of rain it is hoped that the dry land will become wet again and is not easily burned, thus the haze will decrease and air will be healthier.
Tabiun acknowledged that ISPA cases this year has highly increased compared to last year.
"In 2022 until December 4,344 cases (recorded), but this year in September more than 6,000 cases," he said.
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