Home > Activities supported by FCP Foundation > Training and Education > Student Exchange > Karin van Rijn , internship in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
Karin van Rijn, internship in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
Attaining working experience in a general hospital in a third world country was the purpose of my stay in Indonesia. My internship at the department of gynaecology and obstetrics in Rumah Sakit Hasan Sadikin was a very worthwile but equally tough experience. Dealing with differences in the medical care systems of a third world country as supposed to a developed country has been a practical and ethical challenge on more than one occasion.
It is hard for us to imagine how life would be without money and health insurance. In Indonesia it is reality. The country is densely populated, most people are poor and uninsured. Earning money to get by is their main concern. People generally only see a doctor if the illness they suffer from keeps them from working. When they finally go, they are mostly diagnosed with a late stage of the disease. It is emotionally very tough to realise that many people could be cured if they had enough money to buy health insurance and if they went to see a doctor earlier. On the other hand the doctors are able to diagnose a patient without the use of expensive tools or equipment. They only do expensive measurements if it is really necessary. I think that in developed countries doctors too often use many unnecessary measurements for diagnosing a patient. The same thing happens with treating a patient. So it’s good to know that because the use of cheap methods and the very good basic skills the doctors have more people in Indonesia can better afford their treatment.
Not only the difference between rich and poor, but other cultural circumstances also influenced my view on Indonesian health care. For example, more than 80% of the population is Muslim. As a consequence of Indonesia being a highly traditional religious society, women have less rights than men. As far as medical treatment of women is concerned, be it in case of a miscarriage, C-section or any anti-conceptive methods, the husband is always asked for permission. Without this, no treatment will be given. But on a professional level in the hospital, the doctors, men and women alike, are equal in matters of authority and expertise.
I have seen and learned many medical skills in Rumah Sakit Hasan Sadikin. I have done for example normal deliveries, breech presentation deliveries, forceps deliveries, diagnosing late stages of cervical cancer, diagnosing trofoblastic tumors (rare in western countries), c-sections, curettages and even more.
This experience is certainly one I will never forget. And it made me realize that we have to be glad that we live in a part of the world where everybody has equal access to medical care.