Chairman of PB IDI, dr. Slamet Budiarto stated that doctors and administrators of medical organizations are allowed to be involved in politics. This statement opens up new space, even though up to now doctors' involvement in politics has often been viewed with caution because it is considered to be in conflict with the medical oath and code of ethics, which emphasizes that medical decisions should not be influenced by political interests.
This concern is not without reason. One example is the case of the doctor who was involved in the "accident" scenario of Setya Novanto, the former Chairman of the DPR RI who was involved in e-KTP corruption, to avoid the legal process. The doctor was finally sentenced to prison. This shows how the medical profession can be abused when the boundaries between the profession and the interests of power become blurred.
However, does that mean doctors should stay away from politics altogether? Not necessarily.
There is another example: George Habash, a Palestinian doctor who is active in political movements because for him health cannot be separated from the social and political conditions of society. The question is, if a doctor sees that the health system is not working well, access is uneven, medical personnel are concentrated in certain areas, specialist education is problematic, is it enough for him to just treat patients one by one? It is at this point that politics becomes relevant, because such systemic problems cannot always be resolved from the clinical practice space.
Therefore, a more appropriate question may not be "can doctors enter politics?", but rather"Why do doctors enter politics?"If it is for power or personal interests, it becomes an ethical issue. But if we are fighting for fairer health policies, the presence of doctors in politics could be meaningful, as long as they continue to carry the values of their profession: honesty, independence and prioritizing the interests of society.
Stethoscopes and politics are in different spaces, but they both have the same goal: to make people's lives better. Healing a person requires a doctor. Changing a system that makes many people sick requires the courage to fight for it.
Currently in Indonesia there are several doctors who have entered the world of politics, including:
Name | Profession | Party | Current position |
Dr. Gamal Albinsaid | Doctor | PKS | Member of the DPR RI 2024–2029, East Java Electoral District V |
Dr. Sofyan Tan | Doctor | PDI Perjuangan | Member of the DPR RI 2024–2029, North Sumatra I electoral district |
Drg. White Sari | Dentist | Gerindra | Member of the DPR RI 2024–2029, Commission IX |
Dr. Sasa Chalim Nur Syajarotuddur | Doctor | PKB | Member of the Lampung Province DPRD 2024–2029 |
Dr. Maria Caecilia Stevi Harman | Doctor | — | Member of DPD RI 2024–2029, NTT(DPD is not a party representation) |
Hopefully, doctors who serve as people's representatives or who enter the world of politics will side with public health because that is where their professional oath was first taken, to put patient safety and interests above all else.
Because the stethoscope they once wore should never really be removed, wherever they go, including into the room where policies are made. Millions of people continue to wait for a more equitable health system, and that is the real reason why they deserve to be there.
