On 27 September 2025, Mr Kiliur Wakerkwa, an indigenous Papuan farmer from Nawa Mulya Village, Yapsi District, Jayapura Regency, Papua Province, suffered serious injuries in an accident at SP 2 at around 1:00 pm. He was first taken to the SP 1 health centre (puskesmas) approximately 5 kilometres away, which issued a referral letter to Yowari Regional Public Hospital (RSUD). By around 4:00 pm, significant blood on his body had not yet been cleaned, and his wounds had not been adequately attended to. Thereupon, his family transported him themselves to RSUD Yowari, arriving late that night, around 10:25 pm. According to the relatives, the hospital refused to admit him because no surgeon was available and referred him to RSUD Abepura in Jayapura City, where the family was informed that the ward was under renovation and the hospital could not accept patients. Health workers at RSUD Abepura told the family to admit the patient to the RSUD Dok II Jayapura (Dok 2).
When they reached the Dok 2 Regional Public Hospital, staff again refused admission, reportedly claiming that the surgeon was on a two-month leave. The family then drove on to Marthen Indey Hospital in Jayapura, where they arrived in the middle of the night and were told to wait. After about two hours, they were informed that the ward was full and that he could not be admitted. The family next sought help at Bhayangkara Police Hospital, but the costs were far beyond their means. Desperate and unable to pay, they returned with Kiliur to the RSUD Yowari at around 04:00 pm on 28 September 2025. Once again, the relatives were told to wait while Mr Wakerkwa was lying inside the car in the hospital car park until around 07:00 am, with his condition deteriorating and his wounds still inadequately treated.
Only after a member of the Jayapura Regency Regional Representative Council (DPRD), named Nandison Karoba, learned of the situation and visited the hospital, did the medical staff intervene. He reportedly pressured nurses to treat the patient and at least provide intravenous fluids. However, the medication and infusion administered were allegedly given in excessive doses, triggering an allergic reaction and causing Mr Wakerkwa’s face to swell. Fearing that remaining in the hospital would worsen his condition, the family decided on 29 September to take him home, where they treated Mr Kwakerkwa with traditional medicine until he recovered.
Human rights and legal analysis
From a human rights perspective, the denial of health treatment to patients in critical condition violates the right to the highest attainable standard of health. Under national law, such conduct would violate Article 174 of Law No. 17/2023 on Health, which requires all health facilities to treat critical cases, prohibits the refusal of emergency patients, and bans advance payment demands or administrative delays in emergencies. Under international human rights law, the sequence of refusals, delays, and demands for payment by four hospitals in Jayapura Regency and Jayapura City constitutes a violation of the right to the highest attainable standard of health as guaranteed under the ICCPR and ICESCR. The reported demand for a cash deposit from a poor, indigenous Papuan patient, combined with repeated referrals, suggests discriminatory and degrading treatment of indigenous peoples in a potentially life-threatening situation and may amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment in a medical setting.
The State has the duty to ensure an effective, prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial investigation, in addition to the internal audits currently initiated by health and administrative authorities. Indonesia must examine not only individual negligence but also structural failings in the health system in the Papuan provinces, including the breakdown of the referral chain, the lack of 24-hour PONEK capacity, and entrenched financial and geographic barriers for indigenous Papuans.
Where evidence confirms unlawful refusal of care, negligent omissions, or unlawful financial demands, the authorities should pursue criminal accountability under the Indonesian Criminal Code, apply appropriate administrative sanctions under hospital and health legislation. More broadly, the State is required to adopt concrete, time-bound measures to ensure that indigenous Papuans in urban and remote communities enjoy equal, non-discriminatory access to essential health services.
Jayapura Regency Regional Representative Council member, Mr Nandison Karoba, complains about the lack of responsiveness at Yowari Hospital, 28 September 2025
Detailed Case Data
Location: Jayapura, Jayapura City, Papua, Indonesia (-2.5916025, 140.6689995)
Region: Indonesia, Papua, Jayapura, Abepura
Total number of victims: 1
#
Number of Victims
Name, Details
Gender
Age
Group Affiliation
Violations
1.
1
Kiliur Wakerkwa,
male
adult
Indigenous Peoples
right to health
Perpetrator: Public Health Services
Perpetrator details: RSUD Yowari, RSUD, Abepura, RSUD Dok II, Marthen Indey Hospital, Bhayangkara Hospital,
Issues: indigenous peoples