The recent death of another intern doctor in the country, allegedly linked to overwork, marks the fourth such fatality in just two months and has intensified scrutiny of the country’s medical internship programme, with observers calling for urgent reforms to improve working conditions and trainee protection.
Myta Aprilia Azmi, an intern doctor from Sriwijaya University assigned to KH Daud Arif Regional Hospital in Jambi, died on May 1 after receiving intensive care at Mohammad Hoesin Hospital in Palembang, South Sumatra.
She reportedly suffered from a lung infection but continued working without taking sick leave, even as her condition deteriorated.
Public health expert Tjandra Yoga Aditama acknowledged that the demanding nature of medical work, including extremely long working hours, night shifts and intense workplace pressure, could take a serious toll on doctors’ own health.
He urged policymakers to provide stronger protections for intern doctors to allow them to carry out their duties without unnecessary physical and mental strain.
“The deaths of our four intern doctors must act as a catalyst to create a better, higher-quality, more humane and more dignified internship programme,” Tjandra told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) said it had long raised concerns over the safety and welfare of intern doctors and had sent a letter to the Health Ministry in late April, urging reforms to the internship programme overseen by the ministry.
Among the proposed reforms are setting a minimum salary at three times the regional minimum wage, limiting working hours to 40 hours per week, granting one day of leave each month in addition to sick leave, and ensuring days off on national holidays.
Three intern doctors died in March, fuelling concerns over excessive workloads and limited rest time within the internship programme.
The first death occurred on March 17, with a final diagnosis of dengue haemorrhagic fever and complications from shock.
A second intern doctor died on March 25, with a preliminary diagnosis of anaemia, followed by a third on March 26 whose diagnosis included measles with heart and brain complications.
IDI had previously raised concerns over what it described as “extraordinary” workloads, inadequate holiday entitlements and salaries that remained below regional minimum wage standards.
Health Ministry spokesperson Widyawati on May 4 expressed deep condolences over Myta’s death, while pledging a full investigation to examine the entire sequence of events, including the internship programme governance and workload issues. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
