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Expert presented by the Government Illah Saillah as director of Research, Technologi, and Higher Education Ministry for Learning and Student Affair (Direktur Pembelajaran dan Kemahasiswaan Kementerian Riset, Teknologi dan Pendidikan Tinggi) delivered her expertise after sworn in at judicial review session on Act of Health Workers on Wednesday (6/5) at Plenary Room, the Constitutional Court Building

 

 

The Constitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusi –MK) held the last judicial review on Act No. 36 Year 2014 of Health Workers on Wednesday afternoon (6/5). The session was scheduled on hearing the testimony of the Government’s Expert Dr. Ir. Illah Sailah MS as director of Research, Technologi, and Higher Education Ministry for Learning and Student Affair (Direktur Pembelajaran dan Kemahasiswaan Kementerian Riset, Teknologi dan Pendidikan Tinggi).  

In front of Justice Panel, Sailah delivered that the best health attempt was keeping people healthy or curing sick people. Therefore, high-quality health service and prioritized patients’ safety were needed to be common mission of all relevant stakeholders.

"In line with that mission, the health education system as part of higher education needs to be strengthened to produce competent health workers to provide maximum service," explained Sailah..

Sailah said the government has sought to strengthen higher education, one of which improve the quality of Indonesian citizen life by improving quality of health education and training

“One of which prioritized sector of ASEAN Economic Community is heath service which covers the service of health workers and the health facilities. That required qualified health workers who able to compete and also cooperate with other workers in health industry,” said Sailah.

In attempt of prepare health workers for ASEEAN Economic Community, Sailah added, the challenge faced by health education in Indonesia was the mapping of health education types and grades, the competence and quality of education, the improvement of health research, and etc.  

“The challenges are trying to be overcome by several main programs conducted by directorate general of Higher Education since 2010 which focused on the management of education system and the quality improvement of higher health education,” Sailah affirmed.

At the end of session, Chief Justice Arief Hidayat who accompanied by other Constitutional Justices stated, “This is the last session on Act of Health Workers judicial review. Therefore, the Applicant, the Government and the House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat –DPR) are required to submit the conclusion not later than May 15, 2015.”

As known, the case listed on number 16/PUU-XIII/2015 was filed by Heru Purwanto, a pharmacy teacher of SMK Farmasi Ditkesad Jakarta. At the first session, the Applicant delivered to the Court that he had impaired by the enactment of Article 88 (1) and Article 96 Act Number 36 Year 2014 of Health Workers which stated that health workers who graduated below Diploma III who had worked before the enactment of Act a quo were stil be given the authority to run the practice as Health Workers for a period of 6 years after the Act passed.

The enactment of such provision, according to the Applicant, resulted thousands of health workers who graduated below Diploma III were revoked their practice after 6 years the Act a quo applied. Moreover, they would be threatened with criminal sanction of 5 years because their practice authority revoked.

In addition, the Applicant assumed the enactment of such provision would automatically eliminate his job which he had done for 17 years. Thousands of pharmacy vocational students potentially harmed because health workers required to pass Diploma III, which resulted eliminate their chance to be health worker. (Nano Tresna Arfana/Prasetyo Adi N.) 

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