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.