Medical body urges officials checkups<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) urged the government on
\nWednesday to require all officials to undergo a regular and
\nthorough general physical examination for the sake of their state
\nduties.<\/p>\n
IDI chairman Farid Anfasa Moeloek said a full medical
\nexamination had been reduced to a routine and often conducted in
\na sloppy manner, providing the government with inaccurate reports
\non officials' health.<\/p>\n
Because it is very easy for government officials to obtain
\nhealth certificates from doctors or hospitals, many times they
\nlater suffer illnesses that prevent them from performing their
\nduties.<\/p>\n
\"We were surprised to hear of a minister who suffered a
\nstroke, and that he cannot work until today because of his poor
\nhealth. Therefore, it is important for state officials to go
\nthrough a thorough, periodic medical examination,\" said Farid.<\/p>\n
He was referring to Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil
\nwho has been inactive for more than six months after a stroke. He
\nis recuperating at home after treatment in Singapore.<\/p>\n
Farid, who is a former health minister, said IDI had set out
\nguidelines for medical examinations for government officials, but
\nthey had never been complied with.<\/p>\n
\"We are disappointed because the government has never used it
\nas a standard medical examination for officials,\" said Farid.<\/p>\n
The standard examination includes a comprehensive physical and
\nmental checkup.<\/p>\n
Farid said the same standard procedure should apply to people
\nwho will sit in top positions in the government.<\/p>\n
Following the examination, doctors will either declare the
\nofficials in good health, in reasonable health for specific jobs,
\nor in reasonable health for specific jobs but must receive
\nmedical treatment, and unhealthy.<\/p>\n
The results should be taken into account by decision makers in
\nthe government before promoting an official, although Farid said
\nstate of health was not a determining factor.<\/p>\n
Farid also doubted that legislative candidates had undergone a
\nthorough checkup.<\/p>\n
He said he heard reports from many doctors who said they were
\npressured by influential politicians to declare them healthy.<\/p>\n
A health certificate from at least a regional hospital is one
\nof the documents required by the General Elections Committee
\n(KPU) for candidates wishing to contest the legislative election,
\nscheduled for April 5.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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