Kalimantan smoke causes ailments

PALANGKARAYA, Central Kalimantan: Smoke from bushfires here has increased the number of patients of respiratory ailments by 35 percent, an official said yesterday.

Head of the local office of the Ministry of Health Fauzi Darwis told Antara that the patients' main complaints were of the lingering coughs and colds.

Darwis said the province's 1.6 million population were currently prone to more respiratory ailments because of the smoke that has been hanging around the province for months.

The news agency reported that Governor Warsito Rasman had called on his people to wear protective masks to keep them from inhaling the smoke.

"At least you will be protected from breathing in dust through your nose or mouth by wearing the masks," Darwis was quoted as saying. Central Kalimantan was one of the provinces worst hit by bushfires this year. (aan)