Health Minister Shocked by Widespread Bullying Among Doctors, Perpetrators Often Colleagues and Seniors

The Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, admitted to being shocked that bullying has become the most widespread issue complained about by medical and healthcare workers. He stated that the perpetrators of this bullying are predominantly peers and seniors within the profession.

Budi made these remarks during a working meeting with Commission IX of the House of Representatives (DPR) at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday (25/06/2026). He emphasised the urgent need for protection for medical and healthcare personnel.

“What surprised me is that the most frequent complaint from doctors is bullying,” said Budi.

He noted that the Ministry of Health is still collecting data regarding various forms of pressure experienced by medical staff, ranging from patient lawsuits and physical threats to workplace bullying.

“It turns out that the most prevalent issue is indeed bullying, and this is largely perpetrated by colleagues or seniors,” he added.

“We are identifying each of these pressure groups or sources of discomfort for doctors, and we will address them one by one,” he continued.

According to the Minister, threats to medical personnel do not only originate from patients but also from within their own professional environment.

“What is interesting is that there are threats from patients regarding lawsuits. This is something we must guard against, and we must protect medical and healthcare workers. There are physical threats, which may not necessarily come from patients—this is also something we must address, especially in conflict areas. Most notably, there is the threat of bullying from peers, and this is high,” he explained.

Budi stated that peer-to-peer bullying is a serious concern. He cited examples of doctors facing pressure when serving in different regions or when starting work at a new healthcare facility.

“We have heard of cases where a doctor moving to a different region outside of their usual practice area faces pressure. Or when they start working and are pressured by seniors. This is a disturbance that we must systematically protect against, particularly for young doctors and those assigned to different locations,” he said.