'Hospital must be held responsible for rape of patient'

JAKARTA (JP): The executive director of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation said yesterday the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) should be held responsible for the rape of a teenage patient last week.

Tini Hadad blamed RSCM, saying a hospital was responsible not only for the treatment of its patients but also their safety and security during their stay.

"All patients have to sign agreements with the hospital before they get medical treatment. By putting their signatures on the line, patients entrust their lives to the hospital's care. That's why I said RSCM was responsible for the rape inside its ward," Tini told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

A 16-year-old girl was reportedly raped by a cleaning service worker last Friday night after he successfully crept into the victim's room in the left wing of the hospital.

The girl, who was just regaining consciousness after having her left leg amputated hours earlier, was lying helpless with her mother sleeping outside when the man entered the room.

The victim, identified as Sis, a third-year junior high school student was hospitalized after a Roda Niaga mini-bus hit her on Jl. M. Toha, Tangerang, West Java.

According to earlier press reports, Sis knew the rapist, identified as Suk, 24, because he used to help her around the hospital in her wheelchair.

The victim's mother, who was awakened by her daughter's groans, rushed into the room to help and screamed hysterically when she realized her daughter had been raped.

Suk escaped but was later arrested at a warehouse near the hospital. He admitted his misconduct to police.

Stressing the hospital's responsibility, Tini called on the Ministry of Health to seriously warn RSCM's management of their negligence.

"A similar case happened at Pelni hospital, how could we let it happen again? What about the patient's right to protection from the hospital?," she said.

Separately, RSCM's director, M. Ahmad Djojosugito, told Kompas yesterday the hospital had difficulty securing the patients' safety due to lack of personnel.

"The number of personnel is not the point. What is important is the hospital's responsibility for ensuring all its personnel serve and treat the patients well and its wings and rooms are kept secure," Tini said.

Arguing about the poor care of patients at RSCM, Tini said the nurse should have checked the patient every hour.

According to Ahmad, RSCM hospital is now handling some 1,300 patients. To support its treatment and services, the hospital employs 1,400 nurses and 95 security officers.

He had repeatedly claimed that what happened in the victim's room that night was not rape.

"That was not a rape, that was an attempted rape. The man had not succeeded in raping the patient. It was proved by medical examinations on the victim. The result showed that she had not been raped," he said.

Tini said the girl's family, who were still shocked by the incident, could sue the hospital for negligence and the deep trauma suffered by the girl.

Ahmad said the hospital management had taken the necessary measures to help relieve the girl's suffering by moving her into a special room in the hospital. (04)