Full Breakdown
Oxygen Bus Serves Residents as Borneo Haze Reaches Hazardous Levels
By Drooid · · How we work
Oxygen Bus Deployed Amid Severe Haze
In Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, a white-and-blue bus equipped with oxygen tanks and staffed by medical professionals has become a temporary refuge for people experiencing breathing difficulties caused by dense forest-fire haze. The vehicle allows patients to inhale supplemental oxygen through a nasal tube for five to ten minutes per session.
Background: Fires and Air-Quality Crisis
Indonesia’s seasonal forest fires, which usually affect Sumatra and Borneo, have intensified this year, driven by an intense El Niño that raised temperatures and dried peatlands. The resulting blazes have turned skies orange across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Air-pollution indexes in parts of Borneo and Sumatra have exceeded 1,000, while readings of 300 or more are classified as hazardous. The health ministry reported roughly 350,000 respiratory-illness cases nationwide from August through October 25, with Central Kalimantan accounting for about 31,000 of those cases.
Official Statements & Responses
The Central Kalimantan provincial health department announced on Instagram that the “oxygen bus” is intended to help people access oxygen, especially those with respiratory problems or who need support amid unhealthy air-quality conditions. Health officials noted that the haze has led to a surge in respiratory ailments and that the bus provides a mobile point of care where medical staff record patient details and administer oxygen. Local authorities have faced criticism from students who protested at the governor’s office, demanding a stronger response to the fires.