Indonesia Ministry of Health issues protection guidelines for medical workers

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has affirmed that healthcare workers have the right to halt medical services if they encounter harassment or disturbances while on duty. This directive follows an incident in Bantul, Yogyakarta, where a female healthcare professional was allegedly sexually harassed at a hospital on October 26, 2026.

Ika Trisia, Director of Health Human Resources Provision at the Ministry, stated that workers may stop services once emergency treatments are completed. The Ministry emphasized that legal protections for healthcare staff are established under Law Number 17, Government Regulation Number 28, and Minister of Health Regulation Number 13.

Health facility leaders are urged to provide maximum protection and establish accessible internal complaint channels. The Ministry also noted that protections extend to preventing issues related to excessive workloads.