Police slow on malpractice cases

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

Another malpractice report was filed with the police on Friday, bringing the number of such cases reported to city police to four in the past two months.

City police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara said his officers were working hard on the cases, but none had been completed nor any suspects named.

"Investigation into malpractice takes time. We also have to be careful in investigating such cases because we largely depend on information from witnesses," he said.

Mugiharto filed a police report against two doctors at Pondok Gede Haj Hospital in East Jakarta.

Mugiharto, who was accompanied by Legal Aid Institute for Health (LBHK) founder Iskandar Sitorus, told the press after filing the report that his five-year-old daughter, Dwi Latifah, was admitted to the hospital for dengue fever and appendicitis.

He said the doctor treating the dengue fever said that an appendectomy could not be performed until Latifah's blood count had returned to normal. However, the doctor treating Latifah for her appendicitis insisted on operating on her on March 10, claiming her blood count had already returned to normal.

Seven days after the surgery, Latifah died. Mugiharto said the doctor who operated on her claimed that a blood clot had caused her death. He presumed the blood clot had been caused by a previous bump on the head.

Mugiharto accused the doctor who performed the appendectomy of causing his daughter's death.

The hospital would not comment when contacted on Friday afternoon.

Early this month, Herly Hutauruk filed a complaint against Budi Lestari Hospital in Bekasi for alleged malpractice in delivering her son, Jeremia Sitorus. She claimed that her son suffered a brain hemorrhage due to medical negligence.

In late April, similar allegations were made against Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital and YPK Maternity Hospital, both in Central Jakarta, by Mantep and Doddy Sudrajat.

All the hospitals and doctors were accused of violating Article 359 of the Criminal Code on death caused by negligence and Article 360 on permanent handicap caused by negligence.

The Criminal Code defines malpractice as a practice performed by an unlicensed person.

Health critics have urged the government to redefine malpractice in the medical practice bill, which is being deliberated by the House of Representatives. The bill has also been criticized as insufficient protection for patients.

Meanwhile, Sitorus said the LBHK would file four other malpractice reports next week.