Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) urged the government to stop the discussion on the Health Bill and seriously consider the massive rejection of the bill voiced by doctors, health workers, and medical students.

"Because [the bill] will definitely disrupt national stability because public services in the health sector for the community will be affected," said IDI chairman Moh. Adib Khumaidi in a statement on Sunday, April 9, 2023.

Adib said that IDI had conducted a thorough, in-depth, and comprehensive study of the bill. One of the bill's contents highlighted is doctors' immunity rights.

A doctor who performs a health service to save a patient's life, he emphasized, must have the right of immunity protected by law. Professional organizations, such as IDI, play a role as a guardian to provide legal protection.

"But the role of professional organizations is eliminated [in the bill]," said Adib.

If the right of immunity is not provided, Adib argued that it will be easy for many medical and health workers to get into legal problems. In addition, the right of immunity for health workers is also considered to affect patients' safety.

Government denies bill removes legal protection for health workers

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Health Ministry Mohammad Syahril stated that the bill, which was formed using the Omnibus Law method, actually presents extra legal protection for health workers.

"This is stated in the Problem Inventory List (DIM) in the bill submitted by the government to the DPR (House of Representatives) on Wednesday (April 5)," Syahril said, adding that health workers deserve to have their rights to good legal protection since they are the government's strategic partner in fulfilling people's basic right to health.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1713393/idi-calls-for-stop-to-health-bill-discussio