IDI: Maluku Lacks 4 Basic Specialist Doctors

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Maluku Saleh Tualeka said Maluku lacked four basic specialists, namely pediatricians, obstetrics specialists, surgeons, and internal medicine specialists.

"Those are four basic specialists, coupled with three supporting specialists, namely anesthetists, clinical pathologists and radiology doctors. Four additional three specialist doctors absolutely have to be in hospital," Saleh said in Ambon, quoted from Antara, Saturday, February 11.

He stated that currently the presence of specialist doctors is mostly, even piling up in Ambon City, while other areas are lacking.

For the Maluku scope, most doctors in Ambon City. In some of the nearest regencies, it has also begun to be fulfilled. However, remote areas are still a challenge today. If we refer to standard services, I think it is still far away," he said.

Based on IDI Maluku data, in Ambon, there are 417 general practitioners, 103 specialist doctors. In Tanimbar Islands Regency (KKT) there are 35 general practitioners, there are only five specialist doctors.

In South Buru, there are 28 general practitioners, six specialist doctors, while in West Seram (SBB) 31 general practitioners, eight specialist doctors and 78 general practitioners in Central Maluku and 20 specialist doctors.

Meanwhile, in Tual and Southeast Maluku there are 71 general practitioners and 14 specialist doctors. Meanwhile, in Buru there are 26 general practitioners, eight specialist doctors. In Aru, 56 general practitioners, four specialist doctors.

Then, in East Seram (SBT) 38 general practitioners, seven specialist doctors and 21 general practitioners in Southwest Maluku and five specialist doctors.

Saleh admitted that IDI as a professional organization always opens networks with doctors outside Ambon City. Specialist doctors or general practitioners who are currently studying specialists, they are asked to come back to Maluku to serve.

"So, for my fellow specialist doctors in Ambon City, I hope they will take care of licensing to work in an outside hospital where there are still very few specialist doctors," he said.

He added that IDI Maluku also encourages the government on how to provide regional incentives for doctors who will come to serve.