Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Dr. Hasto Wardoyo, the Head of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), believed the presence of foreign doctors in Indonesia will stimulate competition among local physicians.

"The arrival of foreign doctors can motivate Indonesian doctors to improve their skills. Often, we live in a comfort zone, but competition can drive us to excel. As an obstetrician, I would certainly be motivated to enhance my skills if there were advanced competitors," he said on Tuesday (16/7/2024), as quoted by antaranews.com.

He added that foreign doctors could encourage local doctors to pursue additional training, which is crucial for providing better patient care.

However, Dr. Hasto emphasized the need for strict regulations to ensure healthy competition. 

"There should be restrictions and clear regulations to alleviate doctors' concerns. While competition can be beneficial, unchecked liberalization has its downsides," he added.

Agreeing with Hasto, Tarumanagara University Rector Agustinus Purna Irawan stressed the importance of regulations to manage the entry of foreign doctors. 

"Each profession has rules and ethics. In medicine, strict regulations are necessary to determine what is permissible," he said.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has earlier said that the goal of bringing foreign doctors to Indonesia is to address a shortage of specialists and save lives, not to compete with local doctors.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)