Medical body urges officials checkups

Medical body urges officials checkups

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) urged the government on
Wednesday to require all officials to undergo a regular and
thorough general physical examination for the sake of their state
duties.

IDI chairman Farid Anfasa Moeloek said a full medical
examination had been reduced to a routine and often conducted in
a sloppy manner, providing the government with inaccurate reports
on officials' health.

Because it is very easy for government officials to obtain
health certificates from doctors or hospitals, many times they
later suffer illnesses that prevent them from performing their
duties.

"We were surprised to hear of a minister who suffered a
stroke, and that he cannot work until today because of his poor
health. Therefore, it is important for state officials to go
through a thorough, periodic medical examination," said Farid.

He was referring to Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil
who has been inactive for more than six months after a stroke. He
is recuperating at home after treatment in Singapore.

Farid, who is a former health minister, said IDI had set out
guidelines for medical examinations for government officials, but
they had never been complied with.

"We are disappointed because the government has never used it
as a standard medical examination for officials," said Farid.

The standard examination includes a comprehensive physical and
mental checkup.

Farid said the same standard procedure should apply to people
who will sit in top positions in the government.

Following the examination, doctors will either declare the
officials in good health, in reasonable health for specific jobs,
or in reasonable health for specific jobs but must receive
medical treatment, and unhealthy.

The results should be taken into account by decision makers in
the government before promoting an official, although Farid said
state of health was not a determining factor.

Farid also doubted that legislative candidates had undergone a
thorough checkup.

He said he heard reports from many doctors who said they were
pressured by influential politicians to declare them healthy.

A health certificate from at least a regional hospital is one
of the documents required by the General Elections Committee
(KPU) for candidates wishing to contest the legislative election,
scheduled for April 5.