Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ministry of Health will begin conducting psychiatric screenings twice a year for participants in the Specialist Doctor Education Program (PPDS), in a bid to monitor and support their mental health.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology on Monday, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said recent concerns involving PPDS participants are alarming and have affected the wider public.

To address this, the ministry is pushing for systematic and concrete improvements to the program.

Sadikin proposed establishing regular forums with PPDS participants to assess both their mental and physical well-being. He also urged hospital directors at educational institutions to routinely check in with trainees and intervene immediately when risks are detected.

"I will personally dedicate time to meet with them and monitor their physical and mental health. If problems arise, we should be able to identify them early," he said.

He further recommended including psychological assessments in the PPDS entrance exams to ensure candidates are mentally fit before entering the program.

“The recruitment process must be transparent. There should be no special recommendations that result in the wrong people being selected,” Sadikin emphasized.

He also stressed that consultants, not senior participants, should be responsible for training, to ensure high-quality education. The ministry plans to introduce a digital logbook to monitor training activities, similar to systems used in other countries.

Addressing working conditions, Sadikin called on specialist teaching hospitals to enforce strict working hour regulations, amid reports of PPDS participants being required to work excessive hours as a form of mental endurance training.

"I believe that is excessive," he said, warning that heavy workloads can harm mental health.

He also called for stronger supervision and safeguards for participants, noting that many are often assigned tasks outside their responsibilities.

"This supervision is crucial to ensure participants can focus solely on their roles and duties as future medical specialists," Sadikin explained.

To further support trainees, the Ministry of Health will issue a Practice Permit (SIP) allowing participants to work as general practitioners during their education, helping them earn an income.

“I hope these concrete steps will allow us to better monitor and improve the implementation of PPDS and resolve long-standing issues within the program,” he remarked.

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