Health Ministry indicates excessive working hours in Dr Myta case
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health stated that based on investigation results, there are indications of excessive working hours for Dr Myta Aprilia Azmi (MAA), an intern doctor at RSUD KH Daud Arif who passed away some time ago, with the highest being 51.4 hours per week.
“And per day, it must not exceed 8 hours. So Dr MAA, during the February-April period, was assigned to the Emergency Department. There were still working hours exceeding the limit, 48 hours,” said Acting Inspector General of the Ministry of Health, Rudi Supriatna Nata Saputra.
Rudi said in Jakarta on Thursday that the attendance rules for intern doctors on ward rotations allow them to be on call after the doctor’s visit, standing by at the hospital or their accommodation, but generally participants prefer to stay at the hospital until their shift ends.
He mentioned that it is suspected that supervisors manipulated the schedules and attendance of intern participants.
On that occasion, Rudi displayed a chat between Dr J and an intern participant, in which Dr J asked the participant to edit the schedule.
He added that during assignments in the Emergency Department, especially at night, there were rogue doctors who relied more on intern doctors to handle patients under the pretext of more learning opportunities. Rudi noted that these rogue doctors went to the canteen to smoke instead.
“This is actually not allowed because intern doctors are young doctors who, in quotes, still need guidance in carrying out their medical practices. Therefore, without direction and guidance, there is concern that errors may occur in patient treatment in the Emergency Department,” he said.
Another finding by his team, he said, was the amount of living cost assistance (BBH). Based on regulations in Kuala Tungkal, Jambi, BBH is Rp3 million per month without other incentives.
In addition, he said, regarding leave and permission rights, it was found that Dr MAA did not take sick leave because she did not want to accrue extra working time, as per the initial agreement in the Kuala Tungkal programme, where intern participants must fulfil certain shift schedules and performance requirements.
“It was found that intern participants only have 4 days that do not need to be made up if absent. So if sick, 4 days. But if more than that, they still have to make it up even if ill. The regulations have been changed for the future,” he said.
Furthermore, he highlighted instructions for absent intern participants to be replaced by their colleagues. He played a voice note where a breathless Dr MAA asked a colleague to cover her shift.
“On 13 April, it was at her own request to be infused in the duty room. And she should have been treated as a patient. If there are indications of illness, she should have been admitted to the appropriate inpatient ward,” he said.
Then on 20 April, Dr MAA’s vital signs improved, so she was allowed to go home.
“Then on 21 April, Dr MAA was allowed to go to the Emergency Department at Daud Arief towards Matahir by private car, and only provided with oxygen. She should have gone through the procedure using an ambulance, and according to information from the family, the hospital did not offer an ambulance,” he said.
He mentioned that on 24 April, Dr MAA was allowed to go home. On 25-27 April, there was a long journey after recovering from RS Raden Mattaher Jambi, returning to Kuala Tungkal to continue her internship, but she was permitted by her supervisor to rest for 1-2 weeks.
“Finally, on the family’s initiative, she was taken to rest in South Ogan Komering Ulu (OKUS), to her family home. So there was a journey from Jambi to Kuala Tungkal, then from Kuala Tungkal to Palembang. There she had a fever, then after it subsided a bit, she travelled again from Palembang to OKUS, and it turned out she was ill, treated at a clinic for 2 hours,” he said.
From South OKU, they went to Palembang, he said, until finally Dr MAA passed away at RS M Hoesin, Palembang. Dr MAA died on 1 May with severe lung condition.