Founder of MER-C Joserizal Jurnalis Passes Away at 56

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The founder of Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) Indonesia, dr. Joserizal Jurnalis, SpOT, passed away at Harapan Kita Hospital in West Jakarta, on Monday at 00:38 a.m. local time at the age of 56.

"Please forgive him for any mistake he might have made, and thanks for the prayers of relatives, friends, and colleagues during his medical treatment at the hospital till his death," said Rima, MER-C's spokesperson.

Born in Padang, West Sumatra, on May 11, 1963, Joserizal Jurnalis had received the medical treatment from Harapan Kita Hospital's doctors owing to his cardiovascular disease for 20 days.

The body of the deceased was laid down at the Pendopo Silaturrahim at 90 Kalimanggis Raya Street in Cibubur before being buried at Pondok Rangon public cemetery in East Jakarta after dhuhur (midday) prayer time, she said.

During his leadership and active participation in MER-C's activities, this graduate of the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Medicine had greatly contributed to medical services for those in need in both Indonesia and abroad.

ANTARA noted that MER-C has contributed much to the foundation of Indonesian Hospitals in Gaza, Palestine, and in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

Regarding his passing, Andi Jauhari, senior journalist of ANTARA News Agency who had ever joined MER-C team's mission to Gaza from December 2008 to January 2009, said Joserizal Jurnalis was a great volunteer of humanity.

As a medical doctor and orthopedic specialist, along with many MER-C's volunteers, Joserizal Jurnalis conducted humanitarian missions to help the victims of deadly conflicts and catastrophes in many parts of the world, he said.

"One of the moments that I still remember well is a day in 2009 in which he asked me and the executive producer of ANTV, Hanibal Wijayanta, to make a draft of a memorandum of understanding on the foundation of Indonesian Hospital in Gaza."

Doctor Jose asked me and Wijayanta to draft the MoU because, at that time, Indonesia did not have any official representative in Gaza, Andi Jauhari said.

The MoU was then signed by doctor Jose and the minister of Palestine in Gaza, dr. Bassim Nasim. The construction of the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza was completed in 2015.

The hospital was officially inaugurated by Indonesia's Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Dec. 27, 2015, Andi Jauhari added.

ANTARA