Government urged to set up medical council

Government urged to set up medical council

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Participants at a medical seminar urged the government
immediately to establish a medical council to monitor the care
given to patients nationwide.

The House of Representatives endorsed in October of last year
Law No. 29/2004 on medical services, which called for the
established of the Indonesian Medical Council. The council should
have been up and running six months after the law was endorsed,
or this April.

The Ministry of Health is in charge of selecting the members
of the council. Ministry officials attending the seminar on
Tuesday were unsure of the delays in setting up the council.

As described in the law, the council will protect the
interests of patients and help to improve the quality of medical
care in the country.

When established, the council will consist of 17 people,
including 10 medical doctors, three community figures, two
officials from the Ministry of Health and two officials from the
Ministry of National Education. The council will be supervised by
the president's office.

The Medical Services Law also mandates the formation of a
disciplinary council to hear complaints from patients and
investigate doctors. The disciplinary council, which will consist
of 11 people, including eight medical doctors and three legal
experts, will be established together with the medical council.

"The (disciplinary) council will provide a new option for
patients and their families who are not satisfied with the
medical services provided," said Agus Purwadianto of the
Indonesian Hospital Association, a panelist at the seminar. (004)