Disobedient hospitals rebuked

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso should inform the public of the names of private hospitals that have refused to provide free medical treatment to flood victims, a health observer said on Sunday.

"The free medical service is based on a government instruction, which requires all hospitals to provide free medical services for flood victims," said doctor Marius Widjajarta of the Indonesia Health Consumers Empowerment Foundation (YPKKI).

Marius told Antara that such an announcement was needed to punish those hospitals that have refused to comply with the government's instruction to help relieve the suffering of flood- related victims.

Marius also said Sutiyoso had the authority to impose administrative sanctions to those disobedient hospitals, including the revoking of their operational permits.

According to the Jakarta Health Agency, of 68 private hospitals in the capital, only 46 hospitals have provided free services for the flood victims, while the remaining 22 hospitals could not provide the treatment because of limited medical apparatus and limited stock of medicines. --JP