MP Calls for Intern Doctors to Receive Leave Rights and Social Security
JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Yahya Zaini, has called for intern doctors to receive leave rights and employment social security following the case of dr Myta Aprilia Azmy’s death, suspected to be due to overwork.
“Intern doctors’ rights to take leave without deductions in cases of force majeure, such as illness or the death of an immediate family member,” Yahya stated when contacted on Friday (8/5/2026).
“There needs to be additional incentives from local governments, including employment social security. At minimum, two types of coverage: JKK (Work Accident Insurance) and JKM (Death Benefit Insurance),” Yahya explained.
According to him, protection for intern doctors must be strengthened because there are still cases of interns working beyond the maximum hours limit.
“A comprehensive evaluation of intern doctors’ working hours, with a maximum of 40 hours per week. This aligns with WHO standards that, to maintain the health and quality of service from medical personnel, doctors’ working hours should be 40-48 hours per week,” he said.
Yahya also proposed a digital attendance system to monitor intern doctors’ working hours in the field.
“This is important because, in reality, there are intern doctors working beyond the maximum hours limit. A digital attendance system should also be considered to monitor those working hours,” Yahya stated.
Additionally, Yahya suggested health examinations or medical check-ups for prospective interns before they begin their duties.
“Medical check-ups should be conducted for prospective intern doctors to assess their health status, allowing for adjustments in workplace treatment,” Yahya concluded.
Director General of Health Human Resources at the Ministry of Health, Yuli Farianti, revealed that intern doctors in Kuala Tungkal, including dr Myta, were known never to receive days off.
“The minimum is one day off per week. In the Kuala Tungkal incident, there were no days off; they worked from Saturday to Sunday,” Yuli said during a press conference at the Ministry of Health office in South Jakarta on Thursday (7/5/2026).
Yuli explained that the regulation for intern doctors’ working hours is a maximum of 40 hours per week or eight hours per day, with a 20% overtime tolerance.
However, she said, this 20% overtime tolerance is often misused by supervising doctors under the pretext of achieving performance targets.
Therefore, the Ministry of Health has assured that it will no longer implement the 20% additional working hours provision.