Nurses rally for better conditions

Agus Maryono and Syofiardi Bachyul Jb ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Purwokerto, Padang   |  Tue, 05/13/2008 10:39 AM  |  Headlines

Hundreds of nurses and students in Jakarta, Central Java and West Sumatra held rallies Monday demanding immediate enactment of the law on nursing.

The bill has been under deliberation in the House of Representatives since 2006.

According to protesters, the law is urgently needed to protect people from illegal nursing practices, as well as to restate the job description of nurses.

Rismanto, field coordinator of the rally in Banyumas, Central Java, said nursing was the medical profession patients most closely related to and an integral part of the medical field, but it lacked a clear and formal legal platform.

"The draft nursing law has reached the House but has not yet been passed," said Rismanto.

"We call on all Indonesian nurses to unite and fight for our profession and well-being, as we celebrate World Nursing Day. It's time for Indonesia to have a special law regulating nursing, the nursing profession and prevailing issues," he said.

The protesters met with Banyumas legislative councilors after the rally.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction member Widyaningrum expressed her support for immediate approval of the law.

"As a representative of the people, I agree with the demand of the students and nurses. It's time for us to have a law on nursing so the tasks and functions of nurses who are engaged directly with patients become clearer," she said.

"Besides this, people are also assured of their right to safe and effective medical treatment," she said.

In Jakarta, nurses from a number of hospitals in the city also rallied at the House of Representatives in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday. They urged House members to speed up the deliberation of a draft law on nurses during the rally, held to commemorate World Nurses Day, which is celebrated on May 12.

In Padang, West Sumatra, more than 1,000 nurses and students from a number of hospitals and clinics marched 1.5 kilometers from Haji Agussalim Sports Hall to the provincial legislative building.

Representatives from the Indonesian National Nurses Association, who met West Sumatra legislative council deputy speaker Mahyeldi Ansharullah, urged the legislature to convey their demand to the House to immediately ratify the nursing law.

"The nursing profession will be marginalized without the nursing law because of the lack of a legal safety net. We urge the provincial legislature to lobby the House to enact the law by early next year at the latest," said rally coordinator Josmarizal.

Mahyeldi, who backed their demand, said healthcare in West Sumatra was currently in a poor state, as evidenced by the number of patients going overseas to seek treatment, especially to Malaysia and Singapore.

"This is due to the low quality of services in hospitals in West Sumatra. The passing of the nursing law is expected to enhance the standard of nursing," said Mahyeldi.

In Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, some 300 nurses from local hospitals and clinics distributed flowers to motorists around the Jam Gadang monument to raise support for nurses.

They then rallied at the Bukittinggi legislative building and demanded the legislature urge the House and government to promptly pass the law and pay more attention to nurses' well-being.

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