Terawan's Dismissal Is Still A Controversy, DPR Summons PB IDI Again

JAKARTA - Commission IX of the DPR has again summoned the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association (PB IDI) to discuss the polemic of the dismissal of former Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto from membership of medical organizations.

"We invite the meeting to discuss the main tasks and functions of IDI," said DPR Commission IX Chairman Nihayatul Wafiroh in a DPR Hearing Meeting reported by Antara, Monday, April 4.

The agenda was attended by the General Chairperson of PB IDI Adib Khumaidi along with the ranks and a number of the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association, including Romli Atmasasmita, Budi Sampurna and Herkutanto.

Member of Commission IX DPR Irma Suryani said the main function of IDI is to protect, empower and support members to improve the health status of the Indonesian people. "Regarding Terawan's case, he has fulfilled these elements," he said.

Irma said therapy or treatment for chronic ischemic stroke, known as Brain Washing (BW) or Brain Spa (BS), was carried out by Terawan's Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) diagnostic method as a form of enhancing the health status of the Indonesian people.

"If IDI's goal is to support and protect members, there are 2,500 young doctors who do not pass the competency test and will be unemployed. Then IDI fired its members," he said.

Irma said IDI should provide support to Terawan so that the DSA method can be accepted by the community. "IDI should have supported Terawan so that DSA can be accepted and that saves him, why is it not allowed," he said.

Meanwhile, Member of Commission IX DPR Rahmad Handoyo highlighted the responses of various people regarding the recommendation to dismiss Terawan from IDI.

"Terawan's DSA has produced a doctorate, scientifically, scientifically. What other science do you want to use? According to IDI, it is not scientifically based. If so, it should not be disclosed to the public that this does not meet scientific principles," he said.

He said IDI should have used a scientific basis to answer the rejection of the Terawan DSA method. "If it is brought to the realm of ethics, I'm afraid that doctors in Indonesia won't have the courage anymore," he said.

Member of Commission IX of the DPR, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, criticized the recommendation for alleged violations of medical ethics submitted by the PB IDI Medical Ethics Honorary Council (MKEK) for Terawan's dismissal.

One of them is promoting oneself excessively towards Brain Washing through the DSA method which is considered to have no scientific studies based on medical data. "It was the Deputy Chairman of Commission IX and I and several state officials who advertised that advertised, not Terawan. Show me the advertisement that he said was wrong," he said.

Saleh also criticized IDI's statement which called the Nusantara Vaccine a product whose research was not yet perfect. "I asked, what research has been completed on the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia? Don't all the vaccines that come in use an emergency permit that is used in an emergency situation. This means that all vaccines are not perfect yet," he said.

Previously, the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association did not attend the invitation of the House of Representatives Commission IX on Tuesday (29/3) because all IDI administrators were currently on the agenda of the XXXI congress in Aceh.