Idrus saves hundreds of lives in Aceh

Andi Hajarmurni, Contributor, Banda Aceh, Aceh

He would never think twice before deciding to help victims of a disaster or a conflict anywhere he is assigned.

For Idrus Paturusi, the coordinator of the medical team assigned by the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) to deal with survivors of the natural disaster that hit Aceh, time is as valuable as a human life. Being late, just a few seconds, may mean a life lost.

That is why the moment he heard that Aceh was hit by an earthquake and ensuing tsunamis on Dec. 26, Idrus, the dean of the medical school of Hasanuddin University, Makassar, decided to depart for Aceh the next day, even though Aceh was not part of his "patch" as coordinator of medical teams for national disaster management in the eastern part of Indonesia.

Even when he asked for permission to leave for Aceh, the health ministry was not altogether responsive and told him that Aceh was not his responsibility. However, with support from the South Sulawesi provincial administration and also from the coordinator of the medical teams for national disaster management in Indonesia's western regions, Aryono D. Pusponegoro, Idrus finally went to Banda Aceh.

"What was on my mind then was only how to save the people that the natural disaster had spared. At least we can devise a management system to prevent more people from falling victim," Idrus born in Makassar on August 31, 1950, told The Jakarta Post, while still busy coordinating activities to return Banda Aceh's Dr Zainoel Abidin general hospital to being fully functional.

Idrus and seven doctors from Hasanuddin University arrived in Banda Aceh on Dec. 28. His team was the first medical team to arrive.

Straightaway, Idrus took on a coordination role and worked to open up communications channels to ensure that all remaining systems, particularly those of health affairs, could be functional again.

"I arrived on Tuesday morning and found Aceh completely paralyzed. All systems had broken down. Dead bodies lay scattered everywhere. I immediately tried to find health facilities and whatever could still could be used to give help to the victims.

"That was the top priority. Then I established coordination with the military hospital because usually the military has a better system and personnel," said Idrus, who is a member of the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA)

Aside from coordinating with the hospital under the region's Iskandar Muda Military Region Command, Idrus also coordinated with Faqinah hospital, which was spared from the disaster. Hundred of injured people were later treated in these two hospitals.

Idrus took this measure because, according to the standing procedure for disaster management, priority must be given to helping survivors. Dead bodies were attended to later, although they were buried quickly to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

Idrus established coordination not only with the provincial administration and other agencies in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam but also with other institutions, groups of volunteers and the central government.

He also reported on conditions in Aceh, particularly what was going on in the two hospitals, to Vice President Jusuf Kalla. Among other things, he told the vice president that the number of patients was too great for medical personnel to handle. Some patients had not eaten for five days, even though food aid was abundant.

As the number of medical people and volunteers arriving in Aceh increased, Idrus concentrated on restoring the function of Banda Aceh's general hospital, for in the post-disaster period there would be a lot of patients suffering from infectious diseases.

He mobilized volunteers and the military to remove the mud from the hospital. Now this hospital is the command post for medical teams from foreign countries, such as Australia, Germany and Spain.

Idrus, who is also the coordinator of the Disaster Alert Brigade of Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital in Makassar, said that removing the dead bodies had been among the most difficult tasks as all systems had been shut down.

Idrus, chairman of the presidium of the central board of the Indonesian Association of Surgeons, has a lot of experience dealing with the victims of disasters or conflicts, both at home and abroad, but said the Aceh disaster was the worst he had witnessed. The father of three said that was why he was now concentrating fully on Aceh.

He has visited nearly all areas hit by natural disasters or sectarian or communal conflicts, particularly in Indonesia's eastern regions, for example in Toli-toli, Central Sulawesi (earthquake and tsunami); Nabire, Papua (earthquake); Poso, Central Sulawesi (conflict); and Ambon, Maluku (conflict).

He has also been to the border area between East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor (after the self-determination referendum conflict), Afghanistan (2001, war) and Iran (late 2003).

Idrus said he prefers to help victims in the field rather than staying in a hospital or receiving private patients at home.

"Perhaps that is because I am a surgeon ... Whenever there is a disaster or a conflict, I am always called upon to give help, because in such a situation a lot of people will have open wounds," he said.

A graduate of the medical school of Hasanuddin University, Idrus has never had any fear or worries about visiting a location where a disaster or a conflict has broken out.

Also, his family have given him their full support "I'm sure as long as we have good intentions to help our fellow human beings, God will protect us and give us all the facilities we need," he added.

Among his staff members and colleagues, he is known as a careful and firm person. Every time he visits a site where there is a disaster or a conflict, the first thing he will do will be to survey the location and coordinate with relevant government agencies, so that together, they can provide help and evacuate the victims.

Thanks to his rich experience in assisting the victims of disasters, conflicts and wars, Idrus has been appointed as an international instructor for disaster management.

Along with Aryono Pusponegoro, he has published a book that provides an introduction and guidelines for the management of victims of a disaster or a conflict.