Letter: Doctors vs charlatans

I am commenting on a letter from Hadi of Surabaya (The Jakarta Post, Dec. 24).

To be allowed to provide services to the public, a doctor has to be registered with the medical council.

These registrations must be renewed every five years, and to do so one must pass a test of competency and have attended a certain number of seminars and symposia, or have presented a scientific paper to be published in a medical journal — national or preferably international.

These seminars and symposia are usually only held at the provincial capitals, and, if one is stationed on a far-flung island, one must make an often long sea voyage, braving rough seas and spending money on travel, while losing time on the job back home.  

Also, there is the ever-present threat of being sued for alleged malpractice, which to the public is often just failing to cure someone — not neglecting to follow proper procedures.

Quacks and charlatans often invoke the help of gods and deities. So, if they fail to affect a cure, which more often happens than not, they can place the blame on those gods while still pocketing a fee. And, never will they be sued for malpractice, for the god, not the quack, is at fault.

While we accept that these stringent laws on medical practitioners are meant to safeguard the public, we severely detest the utter neglect of the government to rein in these con artists while imposing such severe punishments on lawful, qualified professionals.

Wibowo
Jakarta