MP: Death of intern doctor serves as alarm for evaluation of system
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Netty Prasetiyani, a member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), views the deaths of several doctors participating in the internship programme as an alarm for a thorough evaluation of the internship system in Indonesia.
“This is not merely a misfortune, but can be interpreted as a signal of systemic problems that must be addressed immediately. Young doctors must not become victims due to an imperfect system,” Netty said in her statement in Jakarta on Thursday.
Netty expressed deep condolences for the incident and highlighted the unclear status of internship participants, who are positioned between students and healthcare workers.
“This condition impacts the weakness in protecting rights, including regarding working hours, health insurance, and welfare certainty,” she stated.
In addition, she emphasised the importance of evaluating the supervision and mentoring system in the field.
According to her, the internship programme should be a learning process to build competence and independence, not to replace the role of full medical personnel without adequate supervision.
“There are many reports showing high workloads, even exceeding limits, and minimal mentoring. This poses risks not only to young doctors but also to patient safety,” she said.
Netty also stated that the weak supervision and reporting system for the conditions of intern doctors, as well as many internship participants who are reluctant to report suboptimal working conditions for fear of impacting their assessments and graduations.
“Therefore, we urge the government, particularly the Ministry of Health, to take concrete steps immediately, including conducting a national evaluation of all internship venues, strengthening the supervision system, and ensuring a safe and independent complaint mechanism,” she said.
She also encouraged the formation of a transparent and accountable investigative team to uncover the exact causes of the series of deaths of internship doctors, while formulating policy improvements for the future.
“The safety of doctors is part of patient safety. We must not turn a blind eye. This is a momentum for total improvement,” she said.
For information, an internship programme doctor named Myta Aprilia Azmi passed away, allegedly due to workload. Myta was an alumnus of the Faculty of Medicine at Sriwijaya University (FK UNSRI) who was undergoing an internship programme at RSUD KH. Daud Arif Kuala Tungkal, Jambi.
The death of dr. Myta adds to the long list of incidents that have also attracted media attention, particularly regarding high work pressure and minimal protection for young doctors. The deaths of these young doctors have become a widespread public concern.
Previously, three intern doctors died in the last three months, namely a doctor in Cianjur Regency, West Java, due to measles complications; a doctor on duty in Rembang, Central Java, suspected of anaemia; and a doctor in Denpasar, Bali, due to dengue fever complications.