Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives (DPR), Yahya Zaini, emphasized that the fire disaster at the Jatiwaringin Final Disposal Site (TPA) in Tangerang Regency is no longer merely a waste management issue. This incident has transformed into a public health crisis demanding a responsive action from the entire national health system.
Data shows hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate due to smoke exposure, with a significant spike in Acute Respiratory Tract Infection (ARI) cases. According to Yahya, this phenomenon proves that the ability to extinguish fires alone is not enough; the government must ensure a resilient health system to protect residents from the long-term impacts of exposure to toxic gases and fine particles.
He highlighted the vulnerability of community groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities who are most exposed to health hazards from this fire. A purely curative medical care approach is deemed no longer adequate, requiring a policy paradigm shift toward more preventive and integrative measures in facing environmental threats.
Along with increasing rates of urbanization and waste volume, Yahya urged the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environment to immediately formulate a National Environmental Health Emergency Framework. This framework will serve as a national benchmark in responding to various health emergencies triggered by environmental degradation, ranging from air pollution to recurring landfill fire incidents.
