Doctors' Association Proposes National Protection System for Medical Workers

The Indonesian General Practitioners Association (PDUI) has proposed the establishment of a National Protection System for Medical and Health Workers following repeated cases of violence against healthcare staff. The proposal was presented during a hearing with Commission IX of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, 13 July 2026. PDUI Chairman Ardiansyah Bahar stated that the death of Eliza Princila Utami Pakaenoni, known as Icha, a doctor in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, was not an isolated incident but reflects the weak protection system for medical workers in Indonesia. Icha reportedly took her own life due to depression caused by intimidation from a local legislative member while on duty at a hospital. “Our task is not to find who is at fault, but to identify systemic weaknesses so that similar incidents do not recur,” Ardiansyah said during the meeting with the health commission. He noted that violence against medical and health workers is a serious issue requiring national attention. According to a World Health Organization survey of 300,000 health workers, 8 to 38 percent have experienced physical violence during their careers. The study also showed that 61.9 percent of health workers have experienced violence in various forms, with verbal violence being the most prevalent at 57.6 percent. Most incidents occur in primary healthcare facilities. “General practitioners, who mostly work in primary care facilities, are certainly the most vulnerable group,” he said. Ardiansyah believes the situation in Indonesia is likely far worse than recorded due to the absence of a systematically documented national reporting system. As a result, many cases only come to light after attracting public attention. He cited that between 2019 and 2023, four doctors in Papua were victims of violence, three of whom died. Meanwhile, PDUI data from 2020–2021 recorded eight nurses as victims of violence, and the National Commission on Violence Against Women received nine reports of violence against female nurses in 2022–2023. “This is just a fraction of the many cases that never surface. The phenomenon is like the tip of an iceberg because we lack a national reporting system,” he said. Ardiansyah identified six main issues hindering optimal protection for medical workers. First, protection regulations are scattered across various ministries and agencies without clear coordination. Second, violence against medical workers is still processed as a general criminal offence without specific aggravating penalties. Additionally, healthcare facilities are not required to have structured and auditable violence prevention programmes. There is also no national reporting and surveillance system for incidents, and victims do not receive systematic psychological or legal assistance. Finally, weak protection may discourage health workers from serving in remote, border, and island areas. Ardiansyah noted that Indonesia already has several legal foundations governing the protection of health workers, including Law Number 17 of 2023 on Health, Government Regulation Number 28 of 2024, and several Health Minister regulations. However, these rules have not been effectively implemented on the ground. Referring to WHO recommendations, Ardiansyah explained that health worker protection should be built on four pillars: prevention, support for victims, protection of health workers’ rights, and inclusive protection for all health professions across all regions. He cited examples of countries with stronger protections for health workers. In China, perpetrators of violence against medical workers can face administrative sanctions up to criminal penalties. The United Kingdom has increased punishments for those who assault emergency service workers. Several US states require healthcare facilities to have violence prevention programmes, including the use of panic buttons. Australia has a national incident recording system that serves as a basis for policy formulation. Drawing on these practices, PDUI proposed the establishment of a comprehensive, coordinated, and legally enforceable National Protection System for Medical and Health Workers. Ardiansyah said the system must be built on four main pillars: prevention, protection, rapid response, and victim recovery. “We must not only act after a case has occurred,” he said.