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Minister defends Indonesian doctors after viral post
JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has defended the competence of the country’s doctors. He did so after influencer Fahira Almira posted viral content comparing...
Achmed Eirham
August 16, 2026 2 Min Read
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JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has defended the competence of the country’s doctors. He did so after influencer Fahira Almira posted viral content comparing three diagnoses she reportedly received in Indonesia with a subsequent medical assessment in Malaysia.
Speaking on Thursday, August 13, Budi expressed concern. He said that the narrative could lead audiences to broadly question Indonesian doctors based on one patient’s experience.
“If you ask me, our doctors are just as good as any others. They are no less capable than doctors in Malaysia,” Budi told detikcom.
Fahira reportedly said that three hospitals in Indonesia had diagnosed her with appendicitis. She claimed that a later examination at a hospital in Penang concluded that she did not have the condition.
Her content also identified the Penang hospital and encouraged viewers to seek a second opinion.
Budi said patients have the right to obtain another medical assessment. He objected to promotional content that may disparage Indonesian healthcare providers. This is particularly true if it forms part of a commercial partnership.
“It is inappropriate to conduct an endorsement that way,” he said.
The publicly available information does not include Fahira’s complete medical records, laboratory results, scans, or the timing of each examination.



It does not provide formal explanations from the hospitals involved.
The viral posts alone cannot establish whether any doctor made an incorrect diagnosis.
Appendicitis can be difficult to confirm because its symptoms may resemble urinary, intestinal or reproductive health conditions.
The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says doctors typically combine a patient’s medical history and physical examination with blood, urine and imaging tests. Ultrasound, CT scans or MRI may help confirm appendicitis or identify another cause of abdominal pain.
The UK National Health Service also notes that no single test will always detect appendicitis. Clinical findings may differ depending on the symptoms present during an examination. Results vary based on the imaging method used and how the condition develops over time.
Seeking a second opinion is a legitimate patient-safety measure. The World Health Organization advises patients to ask questions, maintain accurate medical records, and obtain another professional opinion. They suggest this approach when people remain uncertain about a diagnosis.
One patient’s experience cannot determine the overall quality of an entire national healthcare system. Indonesia still faces a big challenge in medical tourism.




The Health Ministry previously estimated that about two million Indonesians traveled overseas for treatment. This included travel to Malaysia and Singapore, with spending exceeding Rp160 trillion.
The government has used that estimate to support efforts to improve domestic specialist services and develop internationally competitive hospitals.
This case raises two different principles: First, patients are free to get a second opinion. Second, health-related content should responsibly share personal experiences and not make generalizations without all the clinical evidence.
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