Jakarta, May 15 -- Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced plans to draft regulations aimed at improving the competence of general practitioners (GPs) to enable them to perform life-saving procedures such as caesarean section, or C-section.

Budi explained that GPs need to be skilled in conducting C-sections to handle emergency situations in regions in Indonesia, especially since several pregnant women have died during childbirth due to the unavailability of specialist doctors.

He cited Nias Island and Taliabu Island in the rural areas of Flores as examples, noting that many pregnant women died as they could not access proper treatment. He noted that traveling from Nias Island to Sumatra Island takes three to four hours.

"The last...