Jakarta Summons Mitra Keluarga Hospital Management
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·4 minutes read
Nikolaus Harbowo for Kompas
Henny Maretta Silalahi (right), 37, and Rudianto Simanjorang, 47, visit the grave of their 4-month-old daughter, Tiara Deborah Simanjorang, at Tegal Alur cemetery in Kalideres, West Jakarta, Saturday (9/9). They are still unwilling to let go of their daughter, who died as a result of suspected delayed medical treatment at Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kalideres, West Jakarta.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The Jakarta Health Agency has summoned the management of Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kalideres, West Jakarta, Monday (11/9), in connection with the death of baby Deborah. The Jakarta Health Agency confirmed the occurrence of the incident, together with the Health Ministry, the Indonesian Doctors Association and the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS).
Meanwhile, chairman of the National Commission for Child Protection, Arist Merdeka Sirait, said on Sunday (10/9) that Deborah’s death proved that there had been a humanitarian crisis and a violation of the right to basic healthcare.
Henny Maretta Silalahi, 37, and Rudianto Simanjorang, 47, are still finding it hard to believe that their daughter, Tiara Deborah Simanjorang (4 months) had passed away so soon. Tiara was born prematurely and had problems with her heart. “Up to this moment, I have not received an explanation from the doctors about why my daughter died,” said Henny at her home on Gg. Haji Jaung, Benda, Tangerang City, Banten.
For two days on Saturday and Sunday (9-10/9), Kompas went to the Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kalideres, but the management was not at the hospital. An information officer, Sari, suggested that Kompas come back on Monday.
However, the Mitra Keluarga Hospital management released an official written explanation. It stated that Deborah had been taken to the Emergency Room on Sunday (3/9) at 3:30 a.m. while unconscious and her body turning blue. The doctors performed resuscitation in the form of suctioning mucus, inserting a nasogastric tube and intubation, as well as manually pumping oxygen through a breathing tube.
A doctor explained to the mother about the condition of the patient and recommended follow-up treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU). However, the mother stated her reluctance, given the family’s financial condition.
The doctor offered to help the mother by referring her to a hospital that cooperated with the BPJS national healthcare and social security because Mitra Keluarga Hospital did not offer BPJS services.
At around 9:15 a.m., the family managed to get a place at the Koja Public Hospital, North Jakarta, which cooperates with the BPJS. However, before the patient was taken to the hospital, a nurse told the doctor that condition of the patient had suddenly worsened.
“The doctor helped the patient. After carrying out cardiac pulmonary resuscitation for 20 minutes, all efforts were not able to save the patient,” read the explanation by Mitra Keluarga Hospital.
Tiara Deborah died on Sunday (3/9) at 10:20 a.m.
Down payment
Jakarta Health Agency head Koesmedi Priharto has received the written statement by Mitra Keluarga hospital. “In the case of Deborah, the patient had been treated in the IGD (emergency room).However, because her condition began to worsen, the patient had to be moved to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). As she was about to be moved to the PICU, the hospital asked for a down payment of Rp 19.8 million. Because the parents were not able to pay that amount of money, the patient continued to be treated in the IGD,” he said on Sunday.
Health Minister Regulation No. 69/2014 on Hospital Obligation to Patients states: “In emergency situations, hospitals must provide emergency treatment to patients.”
To prevent a repeat case, Koesmedi said that hospitals are not allowed to charge down payments to patients in states of emergency. If the patient is not served well at the hospital, the matter can be reported to the 112 service or to the Jakarta Health Agency.
At present, only 90 hospitals of a total 189 Jakarta hospitals cooperate with the BPJS. So far, only local public hospitals and state-owned hospitals are obligated to take part in the BPJS program. In 2019, the government says it will implement universal BPJS coverage, which means that all hospitals must partner with BPJS healthcare services.
