Indonesian medical professionals protest proposed revision to healthcare law

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Hundreds of doctors and nurses demonstrated on Monday in front of Indonesia’s parliament building in Jakarta to express their concerns over a proposed revision to a healthcare law they believe would weaken safeguards for medical practitioners, local media reported.

The protestors said they would reject the discussion of a revision aimed at helping patients file criminal charges against healthcare workers, the Indonesian newspaper Tribunnews reported. The controversial revision was prepared in February and will come into effect soon.

Healthcare workers will embark on a nationwide strike if the government and House of Representatives (DPR) do not respond to their demands, said Beni Satria, a spokesman for the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI).

According to Beni, health workers and medical personnel conveyed the demands to the government and the DPR 28 days ago, but the government does not recognize the IDI as an official organization as stated in Law No. 29 of 2004, he said.

He stressed that the IDI also asked the DPR to explain its reasons for abolishing professional organizations in the health law.

Five professional organizations -- the Indonesian Doctors Association, Indonesian Dentists’ Association, Indonesian National Nurses Association, Indonesian Midwives Association and Indonesian Pharmacist Association -- are protesting the newly revised draft law on healthcare.

Indonesia's parliament introduced various revisions to the healthcare law in February, aiming to facilitate patients filing criminal charges against healthcare workers for malpractice and permitting foreign healthcare professionals to address staff shortages in the country. The government argues that these revisions are necessary to streamline the current laws.