Ulma Haryanto – Activists have accused the Indonesian government of failing to improve basic health care as it had promised in a United Nations covenant passed in 2005.
"Until today, our government is still unable to fulfill basic rights in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ratified by this country in 2005," said Nurkholis Hidayat, director of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH).
The group issued a report on the health system's ills ahead of World Health Day today.
Nurkholis said the government should address issues like discrimination against the poor, who had little means to pay for quality medical services, as well as the lack of accountability from private and state health care providers.
The LBH also criticized the Medical Disciplinary Honors Assembly (MKDKI), a body that helps people file and pursue malpractice complaints. "So far, the MKDKI has only given an impression of impunity. They stand in the way of victims [seeking] justice," he said.
Nurkholis cited the case of Siti Chomsatun, who suffered from a botched thyroid operation at Kramat 128 Hospital in Jakarta two years ago.
Siti brought the case to the LBH's attention, and the group agreed to represent her in a case filed with the MKDKI. However, Nurkholis said the assembly had yet to conduct an investigation. "Until now, the MKDKI still hasn't done an investigation in the case," the LBH report said.
In what it said was an example of clear discrimination, the LBH also cited the case of Rusdin Zakaria, who died in October last year after he was reportedly refused treatment by a hospital.
Rusdin, who had complained of shortness of breath, was initially taken to the intensive care unit of Prikasih Hospital in South Jakarta.
When his family was unable to pay a Rp 7 million ($800) down payment, doctors urged them to transfer Rusdin to the cheaper Fatmawati General Hospital, which would honor the patient's insurance. Rusdi died before reaching the other hospital.
The LBH said Prikasih officials did not show up for meetings it set up with the victim's family. "His relatives have grown scared of further discrimination if they sue. They [initially] refused to report their case to the media," Nukholis said.
He said it would be almost impossible to get a malpractice or medical negligence case resolved by the MKDKI. "And if it's a criminal lawsuit, the police will leave everything to the MKDKI. Once they say there are no problems, then the police will stop investigating," he said.
The LBH says it still receives numerous reports of discrimination by hospital staff, as well as complaints about the lack of transparency in health subsidies. "People come to us claiming they have to sign blank receipts when they purchase medicine or sign hospital bills. So with the subsidy provided by the regional government, there is a window for corruption," he said.