Police can't handle malpractice cases<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After hours of questioning inside a tiny room, Edison Manik and
\nRamadani breathed a sigh of relief and walked out of the city
\npolice's public complaint center.<\/p>\n
"We hope the police will resolve our cases and justice is in
\nsight. I can't stand watching my wife in pain anymore," Edison
\nsaid at city police headquarters on Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Edison and Ramadani had just filed malpractice complaints
\nagainst the Persahabatan and Pondok Kopi Islamic hospitals, both
\nin East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Edison's wife fell severely ill after undergoing a hemorrhoid
\noperation at Persahabatan hospital in August 2004, while the
\nhealth of Ramadani's wife has deteriorated since a caesarean
\noperation in April.<\/p>\n
Edison's and Ramadani's high expectations, however, may end in
\ndisappointment as earlier investigations into alleged malpractice
\nhave gone nowhere.<\/p>\n
Police have cited legal loopholes and red tape as reasons why
\nmost alleged malpractice cases reported to them have not been
\nbrought to court.<\/p>\n
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono acknowledged on
\nMonday that his office was struggling to investigate the many
\nmalpractice cases they were handling due to difficulties in
\ngathering evidence.<\/p>\n
"We can't submit the case files to prosecutors if we don't
\nhave enough evidence," he said.<\/p>\n
He said the Medical Law, enacted last September, did not
\ninclude an article on malpractice. Instead, the law defines
\nmalpractice as a case in which an individual commits fraud by
\nposing as a doctor, nurse, health worker or other medical
\nprofessional.<\/p>\n
Another obstacle is that police encounter difficulties in
\nfinding experts to testify that patients were actually ill
\nbecause of doctors' negligence as they have to consult with the
\nMedical Ethics Council to find an expert, Tjiptono said.<\/p>\n
"The council determines who will step forward as an expert,
\nwhich takes time. How can we determine whether a malpractice
\nreport is factual if we don't have a witness," he said.<\/p>\n
Tjiptono said police would continue to coordinate with the
\ncouncil to resolve all alleged malpractice cases.<\/p>\n
Leo Irfan Purba of the Legal Aid Institute for Health, who
\naccompanied Edison and Ramadani, complained that since 2004 they
\nhad accompanied patients to file 35 reports to police but none of
\nthem had reached court.<\/p>\n
"Police always say they are still looking for sufficient
\nevidence. But many of our clients have died during the waiting
\nperiod. However, we will not stop filing reports as the more
\ncases we file the more chances we have," he told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-cant-handle-malpractice-cases-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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