Indonesian doctors, nurses protest proposed changes health Care

6/6/2023 5:45

        Hundreds of Indonesian doctors and nurses on Monday urged lawmakers to halt discussions on proposed revisions to healthcare laws that they said would dilute protections for medical practitioners.
        
        Indonesia's parliament in February tabled a host of revisions to current healthcare laws, including making it easier for patients to bring criminal charges against healthcare workers for malpractice and allowing foreign talent to make up for staff shortages in the Southeast Asian country.
        
        The government has said the revisions are necessary to streamline the current laws. A spokesperson for the government said the new law aims to improve services in the middle-income country.
        
        But at least five unions have raised concerns, arguing health workers could be disadvantaged.
        
        Comments from medical paractitioners questioned whether standards were in place to ensure that foreign doctors would improve the level of care in Indonesia, which already struggles with a shortage of health workers, especially specialists.