TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Administrators of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) claimed that the government had not paid any attention to vaccine shortage since 2011 despite the Association’s warnings.
"However, [the government] paid no attention despite high demands for vaccine and the lack of information regarding fake vaccines," said Chief of IDI Ilham Oetama Marsis in a press conference on Monday, July 18, 2016.
The conference was held in cooperation with the Indonesian Hospital Association and the Indonesian Private Hospital Association. The conference was held as a response to the recent fake vaccine case.
Ilham also argued that doctors cannot be held responsible for the medicines used in a hospital. "There is not one regulation that states that doctors can be held accountable for medicines used in a hospital," Ilham argued.
IDI’s Secretary General Adib Khumaidi added that the recent cases of violence against doctors on several hospitals have raised concern among medical practitioners.
"We urged the Health Ministry and the Drugs and Food Supervision Agency to take responsibility over the negative implications caused in the [investigation] of the fake vaccine case," Adib stated.
Adib argued that doctors, medical officers, and other health facilities is nothing but mere victims of the suspect who created fake vaccines.
CHITRA PARAMAESTI | UWD
