JAYAPURA – The demonstration of dozens of specialist doctors in Jayapura on Monday, August 28, 2023, demanding an increase in the value of Additional Employee Income (TPP) led to the installation of notices for non-service at three hospitals owned by Papua Province, namely Jayapura Hospital, Abepura Hospital, and Abepura Regional Mental Hospital.

A number of banners containing notices about the cessation of services from specialist doctors and subspecialists were unfurled, on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at the entrance of Jayapura Regional Hospital.

However, based on media monitoring, since morning service activities at RSUD Jayapura in service units have continued as usual, be it Emergency Installations, Outpatient Installations, and a number of polyclinics.

Director of RSUD Jayapura drg. Aloysius Giyai, M.Kes met in his room and emphasized that the hospital he led continued to provide services to patients as usual.

"We have invited the coordinator of specialist doctors and the medical committee and we decided that the service will continue. Although, one or two special doctors did not come. Today, as of 12 noon, I received reports that there were 84 patients visiting a number of hospitals. Meanwhile, emergency room, laboratory, pharmacy, inpatient, and other supporting services are still running," said Aloysius, Thursday, August 31, 2023, in a release received by the editor.

According to Aloysius, he was well aware of the demands of specialists. Based on the Ministry of Health, the value of incentives / TPP for a specialist doctor throughout Indonesia averages the lowest IDR 25 million per month.

"While in Papua, the incentives for specialist doctors are combined into TPP and equated with other civil servants and only range from IDR 3-7 million. Of course, this is unfair in terms of consideration of their rare profession," he said.

It's just that, said Aloysius, specialist doctors must also be patient and understand that this problem is the aftermath of changes in the Special Autonomy Fund transfer system from the Central Government directly to districts/cities according to PP No. 107 of 2021, not through the province anymore.

"So with the current conditions where there is no definitive governor, of course, the authority of the Acting Governor of Papua is limited and very careful. When I became Acting Secretary of Pegunungan Bintang, the incentive for specialist doctors was up to IDR 40-60 million per month, while general practitioners were IDR 15-25 million per month. Because the Special Autonomy Fund is directly transferred to the district/city," he said.

The former Head of the Papua Health Office also admitted that in order to bridge this issue, he

accompanied by the Head of Papua Communication and Informatics and representatives of the Inspectorate have met with the Papua Provincial Government through Assistant II Regional Secretariat of Papua to find a joint solution.

"Assistant II is very familiar with the demands of specialist doctors and is ready to convey to the Acting Governor and Acting Regional Secretary who happen to be on duty outside," he said.

He hoped that the Papua Provincial Government would immediately take quick steps so that the action demanded by these specialist doctors would not interfere with services at Jayapura Hospital, Abepura Hospital, and Abepura Regional Mental Hospital. ***