Se7en Heroes: Andi Rabiah (part III)

Andi Rabiah or "Floating Nurse" as a model of a telecommunication advertisement

Always Longed by Community


Satisfaction that can never be replaced is when Andi rabiah know her patients who were treated back to health. Her services as a nun who is ready 24 hours make it always missed by the families of patients. her attendance always missed by locals in every island. "If I served on land or in the city, maybe my service and knowledge for the community are not so necessary because there are a lot of medical workers. Therefore, I want to remain on duty on the island" Said Andi Rabiah, who has been widow since 1990.


Andi Rabiah was born in June 29 1957 in Siger, Districk Pangkajene Kepulauan (Pangkep). After graduate for Junior High school she continued her school in Penjenang Kesehatan (PK) a medical school which same level as senior high school. accepted in 1975 and graduated in 1976. after graduate from PK, on April 1977, She became a civil servant in government clinic Liukang Tangaya, Saputan Island, subdistrict Liukang Tangaya, District Pangkep. Andi knows the medical world of her grandmother. Graduate from junior high school, she was determined to follow her grandmother's footsteps became the first medical personnel at her village.


Her husband is the head of the clinic on the island sapuka. when her husband died, people worried Andy Rabiah would leave the island. Locals begged to Andi Rabiah so she would not to move. "Floating nurse" is familiar with locals on remote islands. For the sake of their duties, Andi Rabiah must entrust their children from childhood to her relatives in Pangkep. "I often leave my youngest kids since he was eight months old. I'd have to entrust him and leave him for my duty for three to six months" Said Andi Rabiah.


Her salary is 1,7 milion Rupiahs (192.787 USD) per month. She used her salary for her kids need. Her needs is already fulfilled. in fact, because her hard work as a nurse, Andi Rabiah had twice pilgrimage, the first in 1993. then, the second pilgrims was done a year later when she appointed as health officer for pilgrims.

(To be continued....)

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Se7en Heroes: Andi Rabiah (part II)

Replacing Witch Doctor

It is not easy job for Andi Rabiah, she struggle not only with ocean, but also with some locals. Some of the locals still believe in witch doctor. Many times, she was rejected by locals. However, she doesn't give up to give her sincere and best service.

"I have ever called by someone to cure a treat a patient on a small island. By the time I got there, the patient refused me. so, how am I supposed to do?" said Andi Rabiah. She wasn't bore to introduce herself and her duty among locals. Slowly, but sure, with her magnificent patience, locals began aware. They began realize the importance of medical treatment.


By this point, Andi Rabiah's duty is getting hard and complicated. "Floating Nurse" always prepared for 24 hours a day to serve any patients who need her. From one island to another, by motor boat or row boat, she must across ocean more than a day. sometimes she struggling with big wave and storm. She come to anyone who need her help.


Alone, "Floating Nurse" successfully replace sacred position of witch doctor in the societies. Almost everyday, she picked by patient's relative from Sapuka to antoher island with motor boat or row boat. Sometimes, she must stay for days in patient's home. Andi Rabiah said "For me, it pointless if I cam there but didn't get any results".


Andi Rabiah wants to be a nurse when she was a kid. But, she didn't expect to become a " Floating Nurse". With a simple boat, for more than thirty years, this mother of four has been crossing the sea from one island to another. Her work area covered are on district and four village spread on 25 island on the border Flores Sea, Java Sea and Makassar Straits.

If the patient must be refer to the nearest hospital, Andi Rabiah assist the patient a long the journey. Patient who lives on western islands will be refer to Sumbawa or Lombok (NTB) and it'll take six hours. While patient who leaves on eastern island will be refer to Makassar which needs a day and a night to sail the sea with a small boat.


Andi Rabiah often meet a condition where she must serve a critical patient in a bad weather. If the patient cannot be refer to the nearest clinic. Andi Rabiah must face the unfriendly situation.Using a small boat, which also not decent enough, she couldn't stop praying a long the journey.


" It's hard to refer a patient to Pangkep, we have to go to Makassar. Besides, the journey takes more than 26 hours. I feel pity for patients from remote island who must be referred there. Most of them didn't familiar with the place and route. they don't know where to buy the medicine after getting the prescription. So, I have to assist them" Said "Floating Nurse" sincerely.


After floating for hours, with her patient, she continue her journey to hospital by public transportation or get a ride on a truck.Her families disagree is she stayed in Sapuka. Moreover, they assume that her husband was passed away by some sort of black magic which done by the local. But, she did not withdrawn. She still serve and struggle. It is her principle: go forward undettered and never give up even for a second.


(to be continue....)

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Se7en Heroes: Andi Rabiah (part I)

Many people struggle with their life and yet sometimes, they care more to the others than themselves. With a sincere heart they eager to help everyone who need their help. Just like Andi Rabiah, a "floating nurse" who serve on a more than 25 remote islands throughout Flores Sea. Her story was written on "Se7en Heroes". A book which contains 7 heroes picked by "Kick Andy"

Andi Rabiah become a well known nurse after her story as a "Suster Apung"become one of the finalist of Eagle awards 2007 (Eagle awards is a contest which held by Metro TV for a documentary movie). Andi Rabiah also nominated as "Kick Andy Heroes" because of her dedication as a nurse, which sometimes concurrently be a courier, a midwife and a doctor
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Andi Rabiah

Her face is calm and look sad. Even though burnt by sunlight, her face reveals a friendly charm to anyone who look at her. For the sake of hundreds, even thousands lives, Andi Rabiah always prepared to sail across the sea which bear a high risk. Death is the worst one. She sails to help locals on a remote island throughout 25 islands.

In march 6th 1979, Andi Rabiah was an eight-months-old-nurse. She was on her duty as a "Suster Apung" (floating nurse). One day, while on her duty, Andi Rabiah and several passengers was stranded on an uninhabited island after a storm crash the boat. They had to stay on Karangan Kapas for almost seven days.

One the sixth day, some people were desperate, they tried to consume poisonous things from the sea, while the others had a plan to swim to the nearest island. Both plans are risky. It might killed the passenger who try to execute those plans since they are weak and the weather were bad. Fortunately, on seventh day, they were found by local who look after for them. Locals know the accident by a turtle's skin which washed out by one of the passenger.

On the next years, Andi Rabiah had had enough with any obstacles she encounter during her duty. Leaking boats is a common problem, along with storm and unfriendly sea. But, she never give up or lose hope. She still devote and fight for the sake of people who need her.

She was called "Suster Apung" (Floating Nurse) since almost everyday for hours, even 2 days 2 night, Andi Rabiah sails to help anyone from a remote island who need her hands. Half of her age was spent to help local in remote island in Flores Sea, South Sulawesi

Andi Rabiah, "the floating nurse"

Since 31 years ago, she served in silence. When officials from Jakarta were busy with their campaign and boast on their success helping poor, Andi Rabiah struggle to help poor and locals in an areas where it's never covered by mass media. Sumanga, Saelo, satanga Kapoposan Bali, and Sapuka are ther remote islands which far the hustle bustle. a hustle bustle which created by government official who struggle to become a leader.

When the official "blabber" on mass media by talking nonsense, Andi Rabiah has give more than a half of her life for perpetual life of locals on remote island throughout Flores sea.


(to be continued.....)

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