House, govt face new hurdle over medical council

House, govt face new hurdle over medical council

Dewi Santoso, Jakarta

The government and the House of Representatives are facing
another hurdle in their deliberations on the bill on medical
practice, debating whether the council should allow public
participation.

The bill, sponsored by the House, says the council will
comprise 25 members, of which 15 will be doctors, with four
representatives from the Ministry of Health, four from the
Ministry of National Education and two public representatives.

The government, however, is insisting that the council
comprise only seven people and be restricted to doctors and
Ministry of Health representatives.

"We suggest that the members comprise only seven people, as
more would necessitate a larger budget," said government advisor
Abdul Gani.

He said the seven-member council should comprise a chairman,
deputy chairman, secretary-general and three members. that's only
six!

Deputy chairman of House of Representatives Commission VII on
people's welfare Achmad Sanoesi Tambunan said the House proposed
that the council have 25 seats in order to give the public a
chance to participate in the council's decision-making.

"We simply want the public to have a say in decision-making on
health issues," said Sanoesi.

The government also demanded clarity in the status of the
council members: Whether they would be recruited as civil
servants and how much their salaries and allowances would be.

Both the government and the House hoped to resolve the
deadlock on Thursday.

The government and the House, however, agreed to scrap two
items -- on the medical council's authority to determine and
approve new technology appropriate to the country's medical
science and the council's authority to monitor and take action on
fake diplomas.

The government said the items would be unnecessary as both
parties had earlier agreed to pass the authority to develop
medical technology onto a third institution.

Both parties also agreed to drop the second item, which
stipulates that anybody, not just the council, should have the
authority to monitor and take action on fake diplomas.

With just five meetings to go, the House expects deliberations
to be completed by next Thursday.