Puan Tegas: Foreign Hospitals Must Follow Regulations And Are Not Commercial

Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani (ANTARA/HO-DPR)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, is responding to the Government's plan to open opportunities for foreign hospitals to operate in Indonesia. Puan emphasized that the health sector is the sovereignty of the state that must be closely maintained.

"Expanding public access to health services is certainly a good thing. But it must be ensured that foreign hospitals that stand in Indonesia obey national regulations and protect the rights of patients, our society," said Puan, Thursday, July 17.

Puan reminded that the health sector is a strategic matter for the state so that the principle of national sovereignty must be adhered to firmly.

"Don't let us open access with the lure of global services, but at the expense of state control over the national health service system," said Soekarno's grandson.

Puan assessed that the Government's intention to allow Foreign Hospitals was not wrong. Even so, he emphasized the importance of improving the domestic health sector to prevent Indonesian citizens from seeking treatment abroad.

Some of these improvements include improving the quality of health services, medical human resources, local medical technology, and managing BPJS Health to strengthen the foundations of the national health system.

"If the main orientation is to prevent Indonesian citizens from seeking treatment abroad, then improvements should be made from within: improving the referral system, the quality of human resources for medical personnel, strengthening local medical technology, and managing BPJS Health," said Puan.

According to Puan, the Government needs to ensure that foreign hospitals operating in Indonesia fully follow national regulations.

"It is important for the Government to ensure that foreign hospitals operating in Indonesia are fully subject to national regulations, including in terms of patient data protection, service tariff control, and strict supervision of medical practices," he explained.

In addition, Puan also reminded about the readiness of a monitoring mechanism that can prevent practices that harm the community. Such as high tariffs or marketing services that are not in accordance with clinical evidence.

"The question is not only about whether people can get good services, but whether the service will be affordable, fair, and not encouraging excessive commercialization in our health sector," said Puan.

The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture also requested that the foreign hospital licensing process be carried out with a transparent mechanism. Puan said the DPR would oversee this plan in accordance with the functions and authorities of the DPR in terms of legislation, budgeting, and supervision.

"The DPR RI will continue to ensure that the Government's policies or programs really take sides with the interests of the Indonesian people," concluded Puan.

Previously, in a meeting between President Prabowo and European Council President Ant Totalio Costa in Brussels, the Indonesian government said it would allow foreign hospitals and foreign campuses to operate in Indonesia. Openness to foreigners has been open for the past two years.

Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin also explained the reason Prabowo wanted to allow foreign hospitals to operate in Indonesia so that all Indonesians have access to the quality of good health services at a more affordable price.

Budi said the Government wanted to reduce the number of Indonesians who were willing to spend quite a lot of money to seek treatment abroad in order to get a satisfactory service.