Doctors ordered to stay put for dengue patients

Doctors ordered to stay put for dengue patients

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu, West Java

Despite signs of a decline in dengue fever cases across
Indonesia, the Indramayu regency administration has maintained
its ban on local doctors and other medical workers from leaving
the area or taking leave.

The temporary ban will continue to be enforced until after the
latest dengue epidemic comes to an end, Indramayu Regent Irianto
MS Syafiuddin said here on Monday.

He warned that those trying to defy the ban would face stern
sanctions from his administration.

"I reaffirm that as long as there is an extraordinary number
of dengue fever cases, all doctors and other medical workers
employed in Indramayu will not be allowed to take leave or go out
of the area.

"If this prohibition is breached, they will be subjected to
administrative sanctions," the regent said.

He argued that the spread of dengue fever required a serious
effort from all involved, particularly doctors.

"That's why from the beginning I have ordered all physicians
to stay at their workplaces," he said.

He said that if doctors were found to have breached the rule
or to have given inadequate care to patients with dengue fever,
they could be suspended or fired.

The regent said dengue fever victims did not have to worry
about their medical expenses as the local government would cover
them all.

"The (West Java) governor has instructed us to provide free
medical services to all patients with dengue fever, and we are
complying with this instruction," he said.

Irianto said the number of patients had decreased over the
last few weeks but added that the local administration would
remain alert for the possibility of new outbreaks of the disease
amid the current rainy season.

Data from the Indramayu health office shows that at least 375
people in the regency have been infected with the mosquito-borne
virus, with 12 of them subsequently dying.