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