At a press conference in Jakarta on Monday, Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto highlighted that the recent sexual violence case at a teaching hospital has damaged the public's trust in medical education institutions and hospitals.
Therefore, his ministry is committed to carrying out a thorough evaluation of the case.
"This case is not just an individual incident, but must be a strong warning that our medical education system must be strengthened and improved," he said in an official statement.
"Violence, especially that which occurs in power relations in professional education, must not be normalized," he added.
He stressed that preventing and handling violence in medical education is the shared responsibility of universities and teaching hospitals.
Minister Yuliarto further said that his ministry is providing full support to Padjadjaran University (Unpad) in evaluating all medical specialties and professional programs, and Hasan Sadikin Hospital as a partner teaching hospital, to close any loopholes for violations of law and ethics.
He also assured that his ministry will coordinate intensively with the Ministry of Health without delay to anticipate the impact of the case.
This includes ensuring that the rights of students and other doctors remain protected and the education process continues optimally, while the best services for the community continue to be ensured.
He also called on all universities, teaching hospitals, and academics to reflect on and evaluate their student training systems thoroughly and build a safe environment that upholds equality and is free from violence.
The West Java Regional Police earlier arrested a doctor identified as PAP, 31, a participant in the specialty program of Unpad's Faculty of Medicine, who was accused of raping a patient's family member at Bandung's Hasan Sadikin Hospital, West Java.
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Translator: Sean Filo, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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