Indonesia predicts flood of foreign doctors<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): When Indonesia enters the ASEAN Free Trade Area
\nin five years, foreign doctors will stream into Indonesia,
\nbringing with them their materialistic way of life.<\/p>\n
The early warning was made yesterday by Azrul Azwar, head of
\nthe Indonesian Medical Association, while addressing hundreds of
\nmedical experts at his organization's national congress.<\/p>\n
Azrul said foreign doctors will change medical care
\n\"philosophy\" in Indonesia, a member of the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations which also includes Thailand, Vietnam,
\nMalaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Azrul, who also chairs the International Medical Association,
\nsaid the presence of foreign doctors will have both negative and
\npositive impact on health care in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He said he worries that the doctors' main motive will be
\nmaking money rather than helping Indonesia improve its health
\ncare. He doubts that foreign doctors will be willing to serve in
\nremote areas where the need for medical care is great, but the
\npay is low.<\/p>\n
\"Their motives will undoubtedly change the health care
\nphilosophy. Hospitals may lose social spirit and money will
\nbecome the main consideration,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Azrul also said that Indonesia needs more medical specialists,
\nand foreign doctors may be poised to fill the positions.<\/p>\n
New private hospitals already have difficulty finding medical
\nspecialists who are willing to work part time with them.<\/p>\n
\"If the problem persists, the hospitals will certainly have to
\nhire foreign specialists to fill the positions,\" Azrul said.<\/p>\n
\"We should raise the number of medical specialist graduates,\"
\nAzrul said, adding that the current government policy which
\nlimits the number of specialist graduates is no longer relevant.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, he said, the government should open new medical
\nspecialist programs and improve the quality of existing programs
\nby strengthening their curriculum.<\/p>\n
Each year only 744 seats in universities across Indonesia are
\nreserved for doctors who want to become specialists.<\/p>\n
In addition, Azrul suggested that all foreign doctors who
\nintend to practice in Indonesia should pass an aptitude test and
\nIndonesian language exam.<\/p>\n
Foreign doctors should also graduate from accredited
\nuniversities, belong to a professional association, and never
\nbreak the laws and medical code of ethics in their home country,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"There should be no rule discriminating between Indonesian and
\nforeign doctors in the future. Foreign doctors should also comply
\nwith Indonesian medical ethic code, follow adaptation and
\nmandatory practice programs and acquire working permit,\" Azrul
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Another speaker in the congress, Nico A. Lumenta, Secretary-
\nGeneral of the Indonesian Hospital Association, pointed out that
\nIndonesia cannot limit the number of foreign doctors by imposing
\nbarriers.<\/p>\n
\"We should also look at the presence of foreign doctors as
\nsomething positive because they will contribute to the
\nimprovement of health service and its human resources,\" Nico
\nsaid. (ste)<\/p>",
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