Political dispute leaves hospital in disarray

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.