Jakarta — Indonesia launched ClimateSmart Indonesia on Monday, May 5, an initiative aimed at harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to improve early warning systems for climate-sensitive infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue.
The initiative is led by the Collaboration for Research and Innovation in AI Industries (KORIKA) in partnership with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and supported by global institutions including Reaching the Last Mile (RLM UAE) and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.
Speaking at the opening event in Jakarta, the Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Chief Dwikorita Karnawati said the urgency of integrating climate and health data to address escalating disease threats. “Studies show that climate is a significant driver of increased human exposure to various diseases,” she said. “Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns affect exposure to water- and food-borne illnesses, such as salmonella, and vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease.”
ClimateSmart Indonesia was launched in 2023. It is a collaborative effort with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and the Institute for Health Modelling and Climate Solutions (IMACS). It aims to build a national Early Warning and Response System (EWARS) using AI to analyse real-time climate and health data.
BMKG’s involvement will help integrate meteorological data to predict outbreaks better. Indonesia’s Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) are also onboard to support data collection and policy implementation.
According to the Health Ministry, Indonesia recorded more than 94,000 malaria cases in 2021, highlighting the pressing need for improved disease surveillance systems.
KORIKA Secretary-General Sri Safitri told Antara News Agency on March 10 that AI could also drive economic growth by boosting productivity across sectors such as agriculture, logistics, and manufacturing. However, she cautioned that Indonesia still faces major challenges, including limited AI talent, infrastructure gaps, and weak research funding.
The launch of ClimateSmart Indonesia represents a significant step toward bridging science, technology, and public health to protect communities vulnerable to climate-induced disease threats. (nsh)
Banner photo: Image generated by OpenAI’s DALL·E via ChatGPT (2024)
