Doctors Strike Might Harm Public's Rights: Ombudsman

Depok, W Java (Antara) - An Indonesian ombudsman has asked the doctor's association not to stage another strike or rally as it might harm the public rights' of receiving medical treatment. The doctors' association and the government must immediately evaluate the medical care standard procedure in various regions as a valid regulation instrument, Hendra Nurtjahjo, the Ombudsman of the prevention division, said on Thursday. "This standard was formulated to measure every doctor's actions whenever they violate their own code of ethics, which might implicate them under the law," Hendra stated. The recent show of solidarity displayed by doctors for their colleague Dr. Ayu, who was arrested for malpractice in a 2012 labor case, could actually have been constructively without harming public rights, Hendra added. The Indonesian Doctors Association or IDI could have submitted a letter of protest with legal and medical arguments which they believed were is right, Hendra suggested. The doctors' strike and rally, which took place on Wednesday, was looked upon as a violation of the doctors' responsibility as mentioned in their professional oath. This abandonment of all obligations might have resulted in a patient's death or suffering because of the absence of hundreds of physicians from medical centers across the country. "This was clearly a lapse in doctors' administration of public services, which need to be restored immediately," Hendra said. (*)