he Surabaya Health Agency in East Java has called on residents to be aware of the presence of fake medical specialists who do not have the required licenses to open practices in the provincial capital of Surabaya.
Agency head Febria Rachmanita said the agency had received information from members of the public about a "fake" pathology doctor who did not have a license but who nonetheless promoted himself via business cards and on social media.
The doctor, identified as Mochammad Syam, reportedly ran a practice in the Semolowaru Elok residential complex.
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“We did not find his name when we checked the data at the Surabaya branch of the IAPI [the Association of Pathology Specialist Doctors in Indonesia],” Febria said in Surabaya on Tuesday as quoted by antaranews.com.
Febria also said the doctor's name was also not listed in the agency's database.
“We checked the address but did not find that person because the house was closed. We will check again immediately,” she said.
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Febria said the doctor may well be reprimanded and see his practice shut down.
“The Public Order Agency [Satpol PP] will help close the practice,” she said.
Febria said this was not the first case of a fake doctor operating in the city.
A few months ago a fake eye doctor from India opened up a practice but was subsequently arrested by the police. (ecn/bbs)
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