Acting Regional Secretary of Papua Suzana Wanggai said here on Friday that many local Papuan youth now possess medical skills.
“We request special affirmative action for Papuan children in the recruitment of health workers, especially at central government hospitals such as those in Jayapura,” she said at the groundbreaking ceremony for Kwaingga Hospital in Keerom District, Papua.
Wanggai noted that indigenous Papuan youth have shown strong competence in the health field and should be given opportunities for recruitment through affirmative policies.
“We hope that staffing for this hospital, which is under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, will prioritize the local community,” she added.
She explained that recruiting health workers from Papua would help address the urgent issue of hospital staffing shortages and therefore, improve healthcare services for the community.
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“Medical personnel from outside Papua often request transfers after a few years due to family reasons. This is not a matter of discrimination; it is about ensuring continuity of care. We need health workers who are willing to stay and serve in Papua,” she emphasized.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin affirmed his commitment to supporting indigenous Papuan general practitioners who wish to pursue specialist training through scholarship programs.
He also urged the local government to collect data on local medical personnel so they can be prioritized in the government’s medical education programs.
“We are ready to help. If there is a doctor whose education is funded by the regional government but later requests a transfer, report it to me. We can hold their practice license,” he said.
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Translator: Qadri, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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