Political dispute leaves hospital in disarray
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post/Bandarlampung
The Abdul Moeloek General Hospital is likely to close its doors come November due to a deficit in operational funds following the ongoing rift between Lampung Governor Sjachroedin ZP and members of the Lampung Legislative Council. Due to the dispute, a number of projects that require funds from the provincial budget have not been released, including those for the hospital.
The hospital has only enough to see it through to the end of October, while extra operational funds for Nov. 1 2005 to Oct. 31 2006 have not been disbursed because the provincial administration and the legislative council have not met to discuss the hospital's proposed funding needs.
Hospital director Relliyani Rusdi said the hospital had used up the last of its operational funds in September for the treatment of poor patients, the cost of which had increased by 168 percent.
"We even had to borrow Rp 2.4 billion (US$240,000) from third parties," Relliyani said on Thursday.
The state hospital initially hoped to draw funds from the Rp 10 billion revenue earned from treating patients that was handed over to the provincial treasury, but the money cannot be disbursed due to the legislature's refusal to discuss its proposed additional funding with the governor.
"How can we use it when the proposed additional funding has not been agreed upon by the legislature, whereas in fact the hospital's operational funds are included in that," said Relliyani.
Relliyani said she did not know whether the hospital would be able to secure any other loans to keep the hospital running. Help received so far also includes doctors agreeing to the payment of their salaries being deferred and pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies giving goods on credit.
"We are afraid the hospital will close in November. We have discussed the matter with the governor and councillors. The speaker and members of Commission E said they would try to find a solution, but it is still pending," she said.
Commission D speaker Efan Tolani said the hospital's revenue deposited with the provincial administration amounted to Rp 10.57 billion. The hospital's 2005 funding allocation amounting to Rp 30 billion only lasted until the end of September.
Legislature deputy speaker Ahmad Junaidi Auli said extra funds should be disbursed so that the hospital could keep operating.
The hospital's predicament is due to a gubernatorial election dispute that began in 2002.
The election was initially won by Alzier Dianis Thabrani, but Alzier's victory was annulled by the home minister on the grounds that electoral procedures had been violated.
According to the minister, the election was not valid because Lampung provincial council had not checked Alzier's police record in the run-up to the gubernatorial election. Alzier was being investigated in connection with several criminal cases, including fertilizer theft.
Arguing that the election was not valid, the minister ordered the provincial council to repeat the gubernatorial election, which was done so in July 2004, with Sjachroeddin ZP being declared the victor.
But a number councillors who backed Alzier have apparently tried to undermine Sjachroedin, which has led to incidents like the Abdoel Moeloek General Hospital case.
The legislature also refused to deliberate the reviewed 2006 provincial budget.