Idrus saves hundreds of lives in Aceh

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.