The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) stated that it was not involved in the decision of the Rectorate of Airlangga University (Unair) to dismiss Prof. Budi Santoso from his position as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, because he rejected the government’s program to bring foreign doctors to Indonesia.
“The news has nothing to do with the Ministry of Health. It is an internal Unair problem and perhaps further clarification can be obtained with the Unair Rectorate,” said the Head of the Ministry of Health’s Communication and Public Service Bureau, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, as reported by BetweenWednesday (3/7) evening.
The news started from Prof. Budi Santoso’s statement circulating in the Whatsapp Group (WAG) of FK Unair Lecturers today.
In his statement, Budi Santoso said goodbye to around 300 members in the group, following receiving the decision of the Unair Rectorate to dismiss him from his position as Dean of the FK Unair.
“As of today, I have been dismissed as Dean of FK Unair. I accept it with an open heart and sincerity. I apologize for any mistakes and errors that I made during my leadership of FK Unair. Let us continue to fight for our beloved FK Unair to continue to advance and develop,” said Budi Santoso in the WAG.
When confirmed, Budi Santoso confirmed his statement as a form of his obligation to say goodbye to lecturers and seniors. “Yes, that’s my message in the FK Uniar lecturer group. It’s true that I was dismissed as of today,” he said.
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When asked whether this was related to his statement rejecting the foreign doctor program in Indonesia, Budi Santoso confirmed this.
“Yes. My process to be called is related to that,” he said.
He assumed that there was a difference of opinion between the leadership of Unair and himself regarding the Ministry of Health’s program to bring in foreign doctors. “Because the rector who led me and I had a difference of opinion, and I was declared different, his decision was accepted. But, if I were to voice my conscience, I think if all doctors were asked, would they be willing to have foreign doctors? I’m sure the answer would be no,” he said.
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According to Budi Santoso, he was summoned by the Rector of Unair on Monday (1/7) to clarify Budi’s statement rejecting the foreign doctor program in Indonesia. Meanwhile, he received the decision to dismiss today.
Budi Santoso in his personal statement to journalists in East Java, Thursday (27/6), said he did not agree with the foreign doctor program in Indonesia.
“Personally and institutionally, we from the medical faculty do not agree,” he said.
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Prof Budi is confident that 92 Medical Faculties in Indonesia are capable of graduating qualified doctors. In fact, their quality is not inferior to foreign doctors.
Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health regulates the requirements and limitations for medical personnel and health workers who are foreign nationals (WNA) who wish to practice in Indonesia.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the mission of the program is to save around 12 thousand lives of babies per year who are at risk of dying due to congenital heart defects.
The ability of doctors in Indonesia to perform heart surgery is only around 6 thousand patients per year, while handling congenital heart defects requires rapid surgical action.
“These six thousand babies, if not treated, have a high risk of dying. If we wait, the risk will be even higher,” he said. (Z-6)
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