This country has many problems related to health services, so what needs to be fostered in the future is collaboration
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) chairman, Dr. Daeng M. Faqih, hopes the collaboration of the professional organization with the Ministry of Health continues under newly appointed minister Terawan Agus Putranto.

"This country has many problems related to health services, so what needs to be fostered in the future is collaboration. All stakeholders (including) the Ministry of Health, professional organizations, and institutions related to health services must cooperate if they want to solve those problems," Dr. Daeng said at the IDI Office in Jakarta on Thursday.

According to Daeng, all parties must think ahead to deal with various problems faced by the health sector in Indonesia, instead of questioning issues from the the past.

Currently, he said, the agenda for addressing problems of health services must become a priority, which requires strong coordination and consolidation between the Ministry of Health and IDI.

Daeng preferred to underline some priority issues in the health sector, such as the implementation of the National Health Insurance (JKN), stunting and non-communicable diseases, as opposed to discussing past conflicts between Health Minister Dr. Terawan and the IDI.

"That was an internal problem, so do not worry about it, as it has been a long time, do not discuss it again," he said.

As a professional organization, IDI respected President Joko Widodo's selection of Terawan, the former head of Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, to lead the Ministry of Health.

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Previously, Dr. Terawan was known for his innovative method, called "brainwashing", which was said to cure many patients suffering from strokes.

The therapy is one of the methods used in Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) which seeks to diagnose and evaluate blood vessels to identify the patient's disease and determine the appropriate treatment.

Terawan used it as a method of treating stroke by including heparin in the DSA process, which is believed to prevent strokes.

In the beginning of April 2018, news emerged that the former presidential doctor was suspended by the IDI's Medical Ethics Code (MKEK) Court because he was believed to have violated the professional code of ethics by advertising such methods.

At that time, Dr. Terawan denied the claim, and said he had never advertised that treatment.

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(INE)

Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta/Yashi
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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