Medical bill deliberation urged for public protection
Medical bill deliberation urged for public protection
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Physicians' Associations (IDI)
called on Sunday for immediate deliberation of the draft medical
act currently awaiting approval by the House of Representatives
(DPR), saying that people in the country badly need protection
from doctors' negligence.
"The law governing the medical profession concerns the
interests of people, so it should be deliberated soon. I heard
the House of Representatives has scheduled the deliberation to
take place this year," IDI secretary-general Fahmi Idris told The
Jakarta Post on Sunday during the final day of the association's
two-day meeting here.
Deputy chairman of the House's Commission VII for people's
welfare, Ahmad Sanusi Tambunan, who was also present at the
meeting, said the state secretary was still putting the final
touches on the draft.
Sanusi said the House legislators could exercise their
initiative rights to begin deliberation of the draft.
"We need to start the discussion soon, because the draft
covers many aspects, including the law on advocacy, medical
services, medicines and hospital affairs," Sanusi, who is also an
IDI member, told the Post.
Doctors participating in the meeting, held to discuss the
profession's code of ethics, admitted the waning public trust in
practitioners.
Fahmi deemed that, although malpractice or violations of the
code of ethics by IDI members were punished, the public wants to
see errant doctors brought to justice.
"We have demanded such a law over the last two years. Although
we realize that the medical act will force doctors to take extra
caution, even to breathe, we want to draw a firm line to
safeguard this profession in the future," he said.
Fahmi said the proposed medical act will mandate the
establishment of an independent council, which will be comprised
of members of the public, as well as officials from the Ministry
of Health and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of National
Education. They would be tasked with controlling the quality of
medical services and physicians.
"Every five years or so, the council will test doctors to
ensure that their knowledge of medical practices has advanced. It
will also judge if a doctor has provided unnecessary medical
treatment," he said.
He added that the medical act will also institute an ad hoc
tribunal for the profession.
Fahmi said that in other countries, a doctor who had violated
certain points of the profession's code of ethics could be taken
directly to court. (bby)