PDIP Asks The Ministry Of Health To Sanction Medistra Hospitals If It Is Proven That Doctors Are Prohibited From Taking Headscarves

Member Of The PDIP Faction Of The DKI Jakarta DPRD Ima Mahdiah (right)/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Member of the PDIP faction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD Ima Mahdiah demanded the government, especially the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) to investigate allegations of banning the use of headscarf for doctors and nurses at the Medistra Hospital (RS).

"You need to cross-check with Medistra first, is that really the rules they issue? But if they really take it out, Medistra is under the Ministry of Health. So, the Ministry of Health must give sanctions," Ima told reporters, Monday, September 2.

On the one hand, Ima also asked the DKI Jakarta Health Office to participate in asking for an explanation from the Medistra Hospital regarding the news that the ban on the use of the headscarf was in the process of recruiting health workers there.

He considered that the ban could not be implemented because Indonesia was a country that guaranteed citizens to have religious freedom.

"Indeed, Indonesian citizens in Jajarta are free to use the hijab, because we don't have a partner and that's why no one here should prohibit the use of the hijab," he explained.

It is known that it went viral on social media that the alleged Medistra Hospital located in South Jakarta limited its employees from wearing a headscarf.

This was revealed from a protest letter written by a doctor named Diani Kartini to the management of Medistra Hospital.

Diani explained, in the discourse session of the recruitment process for health workers, Medistra Hospital revealed the question of whether applicants were willing to open the headscarf if they were accepted as employees. This is because the Medistra Hospital is called an international hospital.

"I really regret if today there are still racist questions. Medistra Hospital said it was international standard, but why is it still racist like that?" said Diani in a letter that is now circulating on social media X.

The management of Medistra Hospital has opened its voice. Director of Medistra Hospital Agung Budisatria apologized for the rowdy issue of discrimination from the prohibition of wearing a headscarf on his doctor and nurse.

"This is currently under management. Medistra Hospital is inclusive and open to anyone who wants to work together to provide the best health services for the community," said Agung.

"In the future, we will continue to carry out a strict control process for the recruitment or communication process, so that the message we convey can be understood properly by all parties," he added.