Inp.polri.go.id - Jayapura. The Papua branch of the Indonesian National Nurses Association (PPNI) has urged the Papua Mountains and Central Papua administrations to temporarily withdraw healthcare workers during the upcoming elections, citing safety concerns.

PPNI Papua Chair James May said on Tuesday (12/11/2024) that the request aims to protect healthcare staff from potential threats by unidentified individuals or groups. 

“Withdrawing healthcare workers temporarily is intended to safeguard them from disturbances during the election period,” he said, as quoted by antaranews.com.

The request primarily targeted healthcare workers stationed in high-risk areas, following recent incidents that underscored security concerns. 

For example, in Mulia, Central Papua’s Puncak Jaya district, a healthcare worker, Nurse Zulhaida, was attacked by an unknown assailant, resulting in injuries that required treatment at Jayapura’s Bhayangkara Hospital.

PPNI condemned the violence and stressed the importance of preventing further harm. “We hope that healthcare workers will no longer face such acts of violence,” added May.

Currently, around 18,000 nurses are working across Papua, including in the three newly created provinces: Papua Pegunungan, South Papua, and Central Papua.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)