Change of hospital status sees protests

Change of hospital status sees protests

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta administration's decision to change three city
hospitals into corporate entities in a bid to boost their
professionalism, has received a negative reaction from several
hospital staff and local residents.

Fearing that the policy would reduce health services for the
poor, dozens of local residents and activists protested on
Tuesday at Pasar Rebo Hospital, East Jakarta, one of the
hospitals cited in the policy decision, which took effect on Jan.
1.

"We are afraid that hospital fees will increase," said Pius
Toa, 57, a Pasar Rebo resident. "Any corporation by definition is
profit-oriented."

The City Health Agency head, Abdul Chalik Masulili, defended
the city's decision to incorporate the three city-run hospitals:
the Pasar Rebo Hospital and the Haj Hospital in East Jakarta and
the Cengkareng Hospital in West Jakarta.

"There is no way that this will increase costs for the poor,"
said Abdul Chalik. "Whatever the legal form of a hospital, its
main mission is still a social one."

Out of the 250 hospital beds at Pasar Rebo, 50 percent are
designated as third class facilities, which are covered by the
city under its health care scheme for the poor.

Abdul Chalik said that the change in status was necessary as
previously, when they were government units, the hospitals were
hampered by bureaucracy and staff management issues.

"The change is purely meant to increase the flexibility of
management," explained Chalik. "So that they can better manage
the hospital's assets, finances and staff."

Siti, who has worked as a nurse for more than 10 years, said
that many of the hospital workers joined the protest out of
concern that the hospital would deny access to the poor to health
services.

"When it was a government unit, I used to be able to go home
at 2 p.m., now I have to stay here to at least 4 p.m."

The city still legally controls all the hospitals, owning 99
percent of the shares of Pasar Rebo and Cengkareng Hospitals and
51 percent of the Haj Hospital.

The administration will also incorporate the three remaining
city-run hospitals: Tarakan Hospital in West Jakarta, Koja
Hospital in North Jakarta and Budi Asih Hospital in East Jakarta.
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