Hundreds of doctors go on strike in Lampung
Hundreds of doctors go on strike in Lampung
Oyos Saroso, The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung
Three hundred and twenty nine temporarily-employed doctors
went on strike in Bandarlampung, protesting to late payment of
salaries, demanding a rise in allowances and guaranteed full-time
employment, on Tuesday.
The doctors, who are members of the Communication Forum for
general practitioners and dentists (Forsidogi), previously held a
demonstration at the Lampung Health Agency.
"We have to go on strike today, as the government did not
respond to our demands during the demonstration," said Lampung
Forsidogi Chairman, Basuki.
"If there is no response by March 28 then we will go on a
national strike, as agreed in our latest meeting in Jakarta."
He said that the doctors' demands was normal as their jobs
were no different from permanently-employed doctors. He noted
that the government should not refer to them as charity workers
because they are human beings, and also need finances for their
everyday needs.
One of the doctors, Indah, who works at the public health
center in Sukarame admitted that she joined the strike. "But
according to my professional oath, if in case of an emergency I
have to do my duty as a doctor," she said.
Aji, another doctor working at the public health center in
Gunung Sugih, Central Lampung, said that he had been on strike
since March 18 to comply with the agreement reached during
Forsidogi meeting in Jakarta.
"I come to my office but I do not provide any medical
services," he said.
Elizabeth, a doctor from Metro, also said that she did the
same to comply with the agreement.
They acknowledged that the strike was actually prompted by a
short message service (SMS) sent by an unidentified person using
a mobile phone. There was also a letter, which was signed by
Lampung Health Agency chief, Sofyan A.T., asking the doctors in
the province to go on strike.
Sofyan, however, denied that he signed the letter, which was
sent to a number of doctors in the province.
He said that he signed a letter which contained a number of
doctor's signatures, but he added that he signed it in a personal
capacity, not as chairman of the Lampung Health Agency.
A doctor, who refused to be identified, said: "I'm confused.
This will possibly take much longer as they have planned to hold
a national strike if the government does not fulfill their
demands," he said.
But he said that the doctors's salaries were low but were paid
late. "That's why they demand a rise in their allowances," he
said.
There is no confirmed report whether the doctors nationwide
will hold a national strike if the government does not pay
serious attention to the demands.