In brief
Indonesia’s University of Indonesia Faculty of Medicine has called for stronger fire‑prevention and health‑monitoring measures to shield children and other at‑risk groups from forest and land fire haze. The university stresses that science‑based, multidisciplinary approaches are crucial for early risk identification and long‑term health safeguards.
In Jakarta on November 1, 2026, the Faculty of Medicine at Indonesia’s University of Indonesia announced a call for stronger fire‑prevention and health‑monitoring measures to protect children and other vulnerable groups from the harmful effects of forest and land fire haze.
The announcement came through the university’s Indonesian Medical Education and Research Institute (IMERI), which said that protecting human health must be central to any environmental strategy that seeks to curb forest and land fires.
IMEI highlighted that the current emergency response to haze—often activated only when air quality falls below safe thresholds—fails to address the long‑term impact on people’s health, especially on children whose lungs are still developing.
Anna Rozaliyani, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
"Forest and land fires are not just about smoke. They threaten health, safety and future generations. Preventing exposure, identifying risks early and providing follow‑up must be grounded in science and cross‑disciplinary cooperation," she said.
IMEI director Bernie Endyarni Medise stressed that protecting children from the health effects of smoke requires sustained action, not just emergency measures taken when haze becomes severe.
Impact on Children and Vulnerable Groups
Pediatric respiratory specialist Nastiti Kaswandani from the Indonesian Pediatric Society and the university warned that smoke exposure can cause more than acute respiratory problems, pointing to lasting impairments in lung development and higher risks of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stunted growth and cognitive issues.
She explained that children’s lungs are still developing, their airways are narrower, and they breathe faster than adults, which means they inhale more air—and thus more particles—per kilogram of body weight. Children also spend more time outdoors, their nasal passages are less effective at filtering particles, and their immune systems are immature, increasing vulnerability.
High‑resolution satellite and ground measurements have shown that the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emitted by forest and land fires is about 30 times smaller than larger soot particles, allowing it to penetrate deep into the lungs and reach the bloodstream, compounding health risks.
IMERI noted that a multidisciplinary, science‑based strategy is essential because smoke exposure affects people differently depending on individual characteristics, health conditions, exposure levels and environmental factors. People at increased risk—including children, older adults, those with chronic illnesses and exposed workers—need protection tailored to their risk levels.
The university’s call follows a series of severe haze episodes that have raised concern about chronic respiratory disease among Indonesia’s large and growing population of children and the broader public.
As a result, university officials are urging government agencies, environmental groups and public health bodies to adopt coordinated measures that include early risk identification, continuous health monitoring and long‑term protective policies for the next generation.
