For the strengthening of the Medical Specialty Training Program (PPDS) by involving regional public hospitals, a joint ministerial decree of the Home Affairs Minister, the Health Minister, and the Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister will be issued.
In a statement here on Saturday, Karnavian affirmed that he will also issue a circular calling on all regional heads to fully support this scheme, which will enable partnerships between faculties of medicine and regional hospitals.
To ensure the hospitals can meet the standards, regional governments are urged to improve the facilities, human resources, and infrastructure.
In this regard, he underlined that regional governments play a key role, from providing the budget to enhancing the quality of regional hospitals to become centers of medical specialty training.
Apart from strengthening regional hospitals, the government is also currently reviewing the plan to eliminate PPDS fees that have so far been borne by specialty trainees, thereby easing their burden while at the same time improving the quality of services at teaching hospitals.
The Chairperson of the Indonesian Public Health Experts Association (IAKMI), Hermawan Saputra, commended the scheme as a progressive step, though he reminded that it must be implemented carefully.
"Quantity is important, but quality must not be overlooked. The quality of regional public hospitals must be enhanced first before they are transformed to become centers of medical specialty training," he remarked.
Apart from public hospitals, he assessed that private hospitals can also be involved in the program to expand the PPDS coverage.
Furthermore, Saputra emphasized that the joint ministerial decree must clearly regulate the governance of the equal distribution and quality of specialty training.
"Equal distribution of specialist doctors can only be achieved if regional governments participate actively, regional public hospitals are strengthened, and cross-ministerial regulations are consistent," he said.
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Translator: Fianda Sjofjan, Raka Adji
Editor: Arie Novarina
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