AMID efforts from the governments in Indonesia and Zimbabwe, to revitalise primary health services, the behaviour and ethics of health workers remain a hindrance. The underlying problem of unethical behaviour towards patients remains a real challenge. This fact was highlighted in various public discussions involving health stakeholders in both countries, suggesting a widening gap between policy and practice.
Although Law Number 17 of 2023 on Health in Indonesia and the Public Health Act in Zimbabwe have established clear service ethics standards, their implementation remains poor and often does not meet expectations. Many patients complain about the unfriendly attitude of the staff, lack of effective communication, and low empathy when receiving health services at health Centres. This contributes to the low level of public satisfaction with basic health services.
Healthcare workers must understand that hospitality and empathy are not only moral obligations but also integral to quality health care. Unfortunately, the lack of ongoing training on behavioural ethics, low remuneration and high workloads often leave healthcare workers failing to meet these expectations.
A little academic, The Expectancy-Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) provides a structured way to evaluate satisfaction by comparing user expectations to actual experiences. When applied to public health services in both countries, this theory highlights the importance of meeting or exceeding public expectations. In addition, ethical behaviour by employees in these healthcare facilities plays an important role in shaping perceptions and fostering trust. Health practitioners should treat all patients with dignity, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
Facts on the ground show that health services’ success is measured not only by statistics or program achievements but also by the experience of patients who feel valued and heard. Research shows that good interaction between health workers and patients can improve treatment outcomes and public trust in health facilities.
Therefore, it is imperative for governments in both countries, to ensure that every health worker is also equipped with adequate interpersonal skills. Healthcare workers must continuously be trained to listen and respond to patients empathetically. This behaviour often leads to positive disconfirmations, where services exceed expectations due to the human relationships created. Effective communication training, patient feedback-based evaluation, and a transparent surveillance system should be a priority. In addition, the community must also be encouraged to actively provide input, so that a sustainable cycle of health service improvement is created.
Additionally, measures that can be taken by the governments in both countries to improve health centre services, among others, include the government’s willingness to improve a reward scheme for employees who serve patients well and punishment for employees who are not good at serving patients, and the provision of patient complaint service boxes. The feedback of patient complaints must also guarantee that there will be service improvements in the future.
Authors: Febriani Indah Setyawati febrianiindahs@student.uns.ac.id
Muhammad. Iqbal Rifa’i
Malony Mukonowatsauka : malonymarekwa@student.uns.ac.id,
Students of Masters in Public Administration at Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
