DPR Ready To Accommodate All Aspirations Regarding The Discourse Of Foreign Doctors Entering Indonesia

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

JAKARTA - Commission IX of the DPR is ready to listen to the aspirations of all levels of society regarding the Government's discourse to bring foreign doctors to Indonesia. Member of Commission IX of the DPR, Kris Dayanti (KD) asked the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) to conduct comprehensive socialization to the public regarding the plan.

"In principle, the DPR supports efforts to improve health services in Indonesia as long as it is beneficial for the people," said Kris Dayanti, Thursday, July 11.

The presence of foreign doctors in Indonesia is actually regulated in Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health. The regulation is presented because of the scarcity of health workers, especially specialists or doctors with special skills needed by the community.

Indonesia is known to face significant challenges in the shortage of specialist doctors. Many hospitals in the regions do not have complete specialist doctors, one of which is because most specialist doctors are concentrated in big cities that cause uneven distribution and lack of specialist doctors in many regions.

According to information, 266 of the 415 Regional General Hospitals (RSUD) in districts/cities do not yet have sufficient basic specializations such as child specialists, obgyn, surgery, internal medicine, anesthesia, radiology, and clinical pathology. According to KD, the presence of foreign doctors is also not new, especially not a few doctors in Indonesia who have also worked abroad.

"But we also have to pay attention to whether the policy of bringing in foreign doctors can solve the problem of shortages of doctors that occur in certain areas. Can the discourse solve the problem of distributing doctors in Indonesia which is still centered in the Java Island area," he explained.

Therefore, Commission IX of the DPR on Tuesday (9/7) held a working meeting with the Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin to discuss plans to bring foreign doctors to Indonesia.

One of the discussions is related to Law No. 17 of 2023 concerning Health and its derivative regulations which are important because they will serve as guidelines for regions in overcoming various health problems that are still happening.

Article 248 paragraph (1) of the Health Law itself regulates medical personnel and health workers for foreign graduates who can carry out practices in Indonesia only apply to specialist medical personnel and subspecialists as well as health workers at certain competency levels after participating in competency evaluations.

According to KD who took part in the working meeting with Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the competency evaluation referred to was carried out by the Minister of Health by involving ministers who organize government affairs in the fields of education, Konsil, and Kolegium. During the meeting, Commission IX of the DPR requested that the Government conduct socialization about the regulation so that the discourse on importing foreign doctors can be well received by the public.

"We hope that the socialization of this law can be implemented from the central government to local governments as well as possible," explained KD.

"The right socialization is also needed for the community and medical practitioners so that if this discourse is later implemented, everyone can understand that this policy provides benefits for health services in Indonesia and no longer reaps pros and cons in the public," he continued.

KD also reminded that the problem of the shortage of doctors is a complex problem so that everyone hopes to see the discourse of bringing foreign doctors to Indonesia with even wider glasses. Especially because the distribution of foreign doctors in a number of areas will not be carried out immediately.

Karena Pemerintah akan mevaluasi kebutuhan masing-masing wilayah, serta penerimaan dari tenaga kesehatan dan masyarakat setempat. Dan paling penting adalah pemberian izin dokter asing yang diatur melalui UU Kesehatan no. Tahun 2023 adalah untuk transfer knowledge kepada tenaga kesehatan kita, ungkap KD.

Furthermore, Commission IX in charge of health affairs ensures that the DPR is ready to accommodate input and aspirations from the public regarding the discourse on the arrival of foreign doctors to Indonesia. Including from the community and medical circles.

A few days ago, KD accompanied the leadership of Commission IX of the DPR when receiving an audience with the Indonesian Community Health Student Senate Association (ISMKI) regarding the plan to utilize foreign medical personnel. ISMKI considers the plan to threaten local health workers.

The legislator from the East Java V electoral district stated that every aspiration obtained would be taken into consideration by the DPR to compile recommendations on government policies. KD said the DPR was ready to receive input from all parties.

"Of course we also continue to support efforts to improve local doctor education in order to improve the quality of health services. Thus, local doctors can provide better and more effective services in the future," he said.

KD also encourages the Government to continue to improve facilities and infrastructure in hospitals and other health facilities. This is to help improve the quality of health services and increase public awareness about the importance of health.

"And it is also important to involve the community itself for the improvement of health services that are still not optimal. Thus, the public can feel more involved in efforts to improve the quality of health services," explained KD.

Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives together with the Ministry of Health agreed to explore the substance of all implementing regulations of the Health Law through the Discussion of Directed Groups (DKT/FGD) on special issues that will be agreed upon. KD also emphasized the importance of immediately regulating derivative regulations from the Health Law.

"Law No. 17 of 2023 concerning Health and its derivative regulations will regulate all technical matters so that the foreign doctor arrival program really provides good benefits for the people of Indonesia," he explained.

"Commission IX of the DPR RI urges the Ministry of Health to make every effort in order to accelerate the ratification of RPP, RPerpres, and RPMK related to the Health Law," concluded KD.