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.