Samarinda Police distribute 10,000 masks to mitigate haze impact

Samarinda (ANTARA) - The Samarinda City Police (Polresta) distributed 10,000 free masks to road users at Simpang Lembuswana, Samarinda City, East Kalimantan, as an effort to protect the public from the impact of haze caused by forest and land fires (karhutla).

Samarinda Police Chief Senior Commissioner Hendri Umar said the action was a form of police concern for public health, particularly amid haze conditions that can disrupt the respiratory tract.

“We urge the public to maintain their health and wear masks when doing activities outside the home,” said Hendri.

The activity was carried out together with Info Taruna Samarinda (ITS), targeting the public and road users passing through the area.

In addition to the police, the mask distribution involved personnel from the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), Pertamina, ITS volunteers, and a coalition of online motorcycle taxi drivers in Samarinda City.

Masks were distributed directly to motorists as a tactical measure to minimise the risk of acute respiratory infection (ISPA) while carrying out activities amid poor air conditions.

This mitigation measure was taken following a significant increase in acute respiratory infection (ISPA) cases in Samarinda City.

Based on data from the local Health Office, the average number of acute ISPA cases in the August 2026 period surged by 22.8 per cent, reaching 206.2 cases per day due to exposure to smoke particulates and extreme dry weather.

In addition, the East Kalimantan Provincial Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has also tightened air monitoring after detecting a spike in hotspots caused by peatland fires in several buffer areas, including Kutai Kartanegara and Penajam Paser Utara regencies.

Through collaboration with various elements of society, Samarinda Police are committed to continuing to anticipate the adverse impacts of declining air quality in the City of Tepian.