Govt To Step Up Monitoring On Foreign Medical Personnel

Jakarta, June 14 (Antara) - Health minister Nafsiah Mboy said the government would increase its monitoring on foreign medical personnel working in the country due to their increasing number. She said here on Friday that a lot of foreign medical personnel have been competing to work in the country due to the big number of the country`s population. "This month alone a total of 50 permits have been issued for them including 10 for those who wish to work in private hospitals while the rest for those who would work in community service. I support community service programs but I would prevent the people from the possibility of being used for experimental purposes," she said after opening a workshop on the use of foreign health personnel. The minister said her office had several times conducted sweeps on them and deported those found working without permits and also revoked the permits of those violating regulations. The total number of foreign health personnel in Indonesia in 2012 reached 147 consisting of 92 who worked in private hospitals, clinics and other health institutions, nine who worked as educators at health polytechnics, 12 as education and training participants and 34 working in community services. Until May this year 50 recommendations had been issued including for 10 for working in private hospitals and 40 for working in community services. The head of PPSDM (human resource development and empowerment) of the health ministry, Untung Suseno, said foreign medical personnel were only allowed to come to the country based on sponsorships. "They may not come here by themselves but must have sponsors who may be the hospitals where they would work in," he said. Besides meeting professional requirements they must also be flanked by local personnel with the same competence, he said. For example " a general practitioner must be accompanied by a general practitioner or a surgeon by a surgeon," he added. The health minister said the tight supervision was needed to assure that the people would get a secure health service.