Bali yet to decide on training hospital

The Bali administration has yet to decide on whether to accept a planned training hospital, with Governor Made Mangku Pastika expressing doubt over the government-funded hospital.

"I have yet to receive any explanation on the training hospital's aims and purposes," he told a hearing Monday at the Bali Legislative Council.

"I have doubts about the hospital, because the public also have doubts about coming to a place where they are going to be guinea pigs for medical students."

The proposed training hospital at Udayana University is part of a plan to develop medical studies at 17 state universities, funded through the state budget.

Udayana university is slated to get initial funds for the training hospital of Rp 75 billion (US$6.29 million) for planning, location survey and construction preparation.

Although expressing his doubts, Pastika denied he was rejecting outright the need for a training hospital in Bali.

"Various parties such as the university and the provincial council should study whether the presence of such a training hospital is important," he said.

"We should also listen to residents' concerns over where the hospital should be built."

Monday's hearing failed to reach an agreement on whether to give the go-ahead to the training hospital.

In addition, the provincial administration and legislature have yet to decide on the location. Two options are currently being touted: at the Udayana campus in Jimbaran, or on administration-owned land in Denpasar.

Ni Komang Erviani , THE JAKARTA POST , DENPASAR | Thu, 02/26/2009 1:59 PM | Bali