Do Not Disclose The Identity Of COVID-19 Patients

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo announced two Indonesian citizens who were infected with the corona virus or COVID-19. He did not announce his identity, but the names and addresses of the COVID-19 patients had already been spread.

Jokowi reminded all parties to protect the identity of the patient. This is because the personal identity and health condition of a person are protected by law.

"We must respect the code of ethics. The personal rights of corona sufferers must be protected, they must not be released to the public. This is our ethics in communicating. The media must also respect their privacy so that they are not psychologically depressed so that they can recover quickly and recover soon," Jokowi said as reported by setneg.go.id.

In this regard, the President has ordered the minister to remind the hospital and a number of related officials to maintain the confidentiality of the personal data of patients undergoing treatment.

I have ordered the minister to remind hospitals and government officials not to disclose the privacy of patients being treated for the coronavirus. Their personal rights must be safeguarded. Likewise the mass media, I ask to respect their privacy. pic.twitter.com/8wQXNjgl8t

- Joko Widodo (@jokowi) March 3, 2020

Regarding identity like this, Article 17 letters h and i of Law no. 14 of 2008 concerning Public Information Disclosure, explained that personal information is excluded if it is related to a person's history, condition of family members, physical and psychological health care.

Public disclosure of the identity of a Corona sufferer is a violation of personal rights. Personal information can only be disclosed with the permission of the person concerned or if it is related to filling a public office. The last reason is irrelevant to consider in this case.

Therefore, the public and officers are advised to respect this right and not to share, disseminate or share the patient's personal information on social media or other places.

Protection of personal identity is guaranteed in article 29 letter g of the 1945 Constitution. Where 'Every person has the right to protection of himself, family, honor, dignity and property under his control and is entitled to a sense of security and protection from the threat of fear to act or do not do anything that is a human right '.

Commissioner of the Central Information Commission, Arif A. Kuswardono, said that this carelessness and inaccuracy in the delivery of patient personal information could lead to victimization.

"The same principle applies to the personal identity of Indonesian citizens who are now undergoing quarantine on Sebaru Island, the Thousand Islands, and who have returned to society," he said.