Kotabaru cooperates with Tanah Bumbu to overcome lack of doctors

Kotabaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Kotabaru District General Hospital (RSUD) of Pangeran Jaya Sumitra has cooperated with Tanah Bumbu District General Hospital of Andi Abdurrahman to overcome 
it shortage of specialist doctors.

Acting Director of the Kotabaru Hospital doctor Nasar here on Tuesday said the cooperation was to meet the condition of the type C hospital (Kotabaru Hospital) following the Ministry of Health review that recommended a grade reduction to type D.

"We don't have pediatricians (a medical practitioner specializing in children and their diseases) yet, while Tanah Bumbu has three, so we make a cooperation," he remarked.

He said, there are four basic medical specialities the type C hospital must provide, one of which is is pediatrician that Pangeran Jaya Sumitra Hospital does not have.

With the cooperation now the hospital  will provide the service, although it will only two days in a week. "So a part time visit to Kotabaru is twice a week, then we cover the service," he said.

He added that himself has coordinated with the Ministry of Health related to Utilization of Specialist Doctors Program (PDGS) to add pediatricians as a exchange of WKDS program. The different was if previously the ministry who did the placement, but now the doctor to choose his own place.

Meanwhile, he admitted, the district plan to increase doctor insentive for its bargaining power. While it exploring a cooperation with Airlangga University for a placement of residential doctor or a specialist doctor undergoing study in Kotabaru.

"It has been running with Unhas (Hasanuddin University), we have Otolaryngologist
(commonly referred to ear, nose, and throat) and eyes, while with Unair we expect pediatricians but still exploring," he pointed out.