Hospital Must Not Neglect Patient

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that hospitals in Indonesia must be responsive and responsible for their patients so that there would be no longer patient who died because hospital rejected to provide treatment.

"There should be no longer patient who dies because he or she is rejected by hospital. All (hospitals) must be responsive and responsible. Humanity is something that could not be bargained," the President said on his Twitter on Friday.

It was reported earlier that a child died of diarrhea for failure in getting medical treatment after being rejected by four hospitals in South Sulawesi.

The head of state said that health services, community healthcare centers and public services must continue to be improved. There should be no people who failed to get services.

Yudhoyono also encouraged Indonesian citizens to have medical treatment at home (not overseas) and therefore domestic hospitals must continue to increase their services.

The President also expressed his confidence that Indonesian doctors were also able to compete with their counterparts from abroad.

"If Indonesian doctors become more educated, trained and skilled and are supported with sophisticated equipment, one should not be afraid of competition in ASEAN. We can compete," the president said. (M038)