A patient's death at an Indonesian hospital has gone viral after doctors and health workers left callous comments on the patient's social media post. The patient had complained about waiting more than eight hours without receiving a room. The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of the country's health system.
The case highlights deeper problems with Indonesia's National Health Insurance scheme (JKN), run by BPJS Kesehatan. The agency has long been criticised for setting reimbursement rates too low, leaving doctors poorly compensated. Many hospitals struggle financially as claim payments are slow and often insufficient.
Professor Tonang Dwi Ardyanto, a medical academic at Universitas Sebelas Maret in Central Java, said the system needs rational tariffs that reflect actual costs. Contributions have not been raised since 2019 despite inflation, and the government should cover any shortfall.
Despite the pressures on health workers, Tonang said abusive behaviour on social media is inexcusable. Doctors are always seen as professionals by the public, even on personal accounts. He urged all health workers to exercise greater caution online.
Listen to the full interview on the SBS Indonesian podcast.
