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View all search resultsIntern doctor fatalities fuel concerns over heavy workload, low welfare
Although Health Ministry regulations stipulate that intern doctors should work a maximum of 48 hours per week, or eight hours a day over six working days, Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) chairman Slamet Budiarto said practices in the field often fall short of these standards.
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Medical personnel take some rest after conducting COVID-19 swab tests in Depok, West Java on April 8, 2020. (Antara/Asprilla Dwi Adha)
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s scrutiny grows over the deaths of three intern doctors last month, Yuna, who is undergoing her internship in Sukabumi city, West Java, says the program’s limited leave policy leaves little room for rest, even when interns fall ill.
She noted that interns are granted only four days of leave per year, which in some healthcare facilities, known as “placements”, also covers sick leave.
“So if you fall ill, it immediately cuts into your four days,” she told The Jakarta Post last week, adding that in some placements, interns who take extended sick leave must make up the missed days or risk failing the program.
The 24-year-old from Bekasi regency, also in West Java, said such conditions help explain why some intern doctors experience fatigue, exhaustion and even illness that can lead to death. Her remarks came after three interns died in March, sparking public speculation about links to excessive workloads.
The first death occurred on March 17, with a final diagnosis of dengue hemorrhagic fever and shock complications. A second intern died on March 25, with a provisional diagnosis of anemia, followed by a third on March 28, whose diagnosis included measles with heart and brain complications.
Read also: Indonesia reports first health professional death amid measles outbreak
The deaths have fueled discussion on social media, with many questioning whether limited rest and heavy workloads played a role.
