Central Kalimantan Health Office on Child's Death: Not Directly Caused by Smoke and ARI

An 11-year-old boy has passed away after his health deteriorated while thick haze from forest and land fires enveloped Puruk Cahu, Muruk Raya Regency, Central Kalimantan. The health office has issued a statement regarding the incident.

The victim reportedly began experiencing shortness of breath before receiving hospital treatment on Friday (28/08/2026). The boy passed away on Monday (31/08/2026).

The Murung Raya Health Office emphasised that the victim’s death cannot yet be directly linked to smoke exposure or Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI). This is because the victim also had a history of other long-standing medical conditions.

“The child did experience shortness of breath, but it was not immediately caused by the smoke or ARI leading to death. The child also suffered from another condition, specifically a kidney abnormality,” said the Head of the Murung Raya Health Office, Suwirman Hutagalung, as reported by detikKalimantan on Wednesday (02/09/2026).

Reports from local residents suggest the victim’s condition worsened as the haze became dense within the city area. Lulus Sriyati, a neighbour from Gang Arjuna, stated that according to family information, the victim had a history of asthma since the age of two.

“According to his family, the child has suffered from asthma since age two, which worsened since the onset of the haze in Puruk Cahu,” she said.

The victim’s family had even planned to transfer the child to a hospital in Banjarmasin for further treatment. However, these plans could not be realised as the child passed away on Monday morning.