Health Ministry Spokesperson Widyawati said investigators from the ministry’s Directorate General of Referral Health Services will work with local authorities.
Hospitals found to have violated procedures could face sanctions.
“Refusing patients is a violation of the Health Law and can lead to criminal charges,” she said in Jakarta.
She added that Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has repeatedly reminded hospitals they must not reject patients and must prioritize safety over administrative issues.
Irene Sokoy, a pregnant woman from Hobong Village in Sentani, Jayapura, died along with her baby early on Nov. 17 after allegedly being turned away by four hospitals in Jayapura city and district.
Papua Governor Mathius Fakhiri said Saturday he received reports that Sokoy died around 5 a.m. on Nov. 17 due to suspected negligence by multiple hospitals.
He said the case should serve as a warning for local governments to overhaul their healthcare systems.
Related news: Papua needs more specialists to improve health services: official
President Prabowo Subianto instructed Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian to conduct an audit of all hospitals in Papua in response to the incident.
“The President ordered an immediate internal audit to determine the root of the problem. All hospitals will be summoned, along with provincial and district health officials and private hospital representatives,” Tito said at the Presidential Palace on Monday.
He said the government aims to identify systemic failures and ensure similar incidents do not occur again.
Local health officials said they would also review emergency response procedures, referral systems, and capacity at critical care facilities.
The case has sparked public outrage in Papua, where access to healthcare remains uneven and emergency services are often under-resourced.
Advocacy groups have urged the government to strengthen oversight of hospitals and improve accountability mechanisms, particularly in remote regions where maternal mortality remains high.
Related news: Marked absence of puskesmas in 13 sub-districts in Papua's Jayawijaya
Reporter: Mecca Yumna Ning Prisie
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
