To Carl Chaerul and health minister

To Carl Chaerul and health minister

The article in the By the Way column of this newspaper titled
"What's up, Doc?" by Carl Chaerul (March 5) on the greediness of
some (or is it 'quite a few') doctors being too eager on the
trigger, performing operations without a real need, is quite
universal and has a long history.

But when, as in Indonesia, it is unchecked and corrective
measures are not taken, it becomes destructive to our health
service system.

Trust in a (once) noble profession is lost and will not return
immediately as with our banks. Those who can, prefer to go abroad
when they are sick, despite greater expense.

Carl's advice for a second opinion is correct, unless the
second one is shy in his opinion.

Perhaps the best solution is intervention of a higher official
such as by a minister of health (or even a president). He could
make a regulation with sanctions severe enough to make one
shudder.

The New England Journal of Medicine has just published an
article accompanied with a photograph of a senior consulting
doctor who committed fraud in research. He was expelled, but his
photograph in the journal is even a better incentive for others
not to become dishonest.

To the Indonesian Medical Association the question is: when
will you restore the trust in our profession given by our
patients?

IWAN DARMANSJAH, MD

Jakarta