Latest news with #BudiGunadiSadikin
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Indonesia to be vaccine self-sufficient by 2037, says health minister
The UK has just announced a 40 per cent real terms cut to its funding for Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, but Indonesia and many other developing countries are investing – and in many respects that is how it is supposed to be. In an exclusive interview with the Telegraph, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia's health minister, said he aimed to make the country 'self-sufficient' in vaccine production by 2037. The lesson of the Covid pandemic was that no large country, including Britain, could rely on others in a global health emergency, he said. 'Every country with a very large population, they need to have their own vaccine [production] for health security, for healthcare system resiliency,' he said. Recalling that Indonesia and Britain had relied on India for Covid vaccines, only to see exports blocked when demand in India spiked, he added: 'We cannot put the lives of 280 million Indonesians at risk by depending on other countries when the next pandemic happens.' Mr Sadikin, a former banker with a sense of realpolitik that is rare in global health, stressed that he was not dismissing cooperation with other countries or blaming India, but emphasising the importance of national autonomy and self-reliance. 'Everybody wants to protect their own people, which is understandable,' he said. 'If you are a politician in India, two billion people will force you to do that. It is democratically understood.' Indonesia is Southeast Asia's largest economy and the world's third most populous country after India and China. It is currently classed as an 'upper middle income' country and is predicted to be the world's fourth largest economy by 2045. Already it is ranked seventh in terms of GDP purchasing power parity – three rungs ahead of the UK – and a recent survey found that more people report themselves to be 'thriving' in Indonesia than any other country in the world. Last week Mr Sadikin hosted a summit in Bali where healthcare leaders plotted a path to the global elimination of cervical cancer – the first cancer likely to succumb to a vaccine. The aim of the global WHO's Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative is to wipe out the disease through a strategy focused on vaccination, screening, and treatment. Mr Sadikin said that cervical cancer remains the second most lethal cancer among women in Indonesia after breast cancer, killing some 60,000 women a year, or 'one death every 35 minutes'. The country's National Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan, launched in 2023, has already achieved over 90 per cent HPV vaccination rates for girls through a schools based programme. The country is also now making the jab available for women aged 21-26 who have missed out. Mr Sadikin said increased availability of the vaccine – which has until recently been limited by supply and dosing constraints – would also be extended to boys in Indonesia to protect against HPV related head, throat and neck cancers from 2026. He added that there was little or no residence to HPV vaccination in Indonesia, a majority Muslim country. 'Indonesian women are very receptive, very receptive, compared with other vaccinations,' he said. 'My observation, my first hypothesis, is they know it can save their life. Second, the vaccines were available before but it was very expensive'. It created a feeling of 'FOMO', or fear of missing out, he added. Indonesia is also gearing up to become something of a regional vaccine superpower and now has three domestic manufacturers. The biggest firm, Biofarma, produces vaccines against measles, polio and hepatitis B and will soon become a major supplier of HPV vaccine via a technology transfer deal with MSD, the international arm of Merck. Biofarma also makes antivenoms for snakebite. Snakes such as pit vipers and cobras are common across many of the 17,500 islands in the Indonesian archipelago. 'MSD is deeply committed to the global elimination of cervical cancer and prevention of certain other HPV related cancers, including in low- and middle-income countries where the burden is highest,' said Dr Priya Agrawal of MSD. 'The technology transfer with MSD for HPV vaccines has allowed us to make our own vaccines for our own country,' added Shadiq Akasya, CEO of Biofarma. 'This will save many lives, accelerate elimination of cervical cancer, and support the aims of national health security.' Bolstering a 'heavenly investment' Mr Sadikin put Indonesia's position at the top of the 'thriving' league down to the relaxed character and pace of life for which places like Bali are famous for. 'We still work pretty hard but we are not as ambitious and determined and greedy for money as some,' he said. 'We are very laid back, we are happy with what we have.' Mr Sadikin, who is religious, has a relaxed style but is no slouch. He made a fortune in banking and now says he is dedicating himself to health. 'I have more than enough earthly investment but I don't have enough heavenly investment,' he said. 'If I save 60,000 women from cervical cancer, God will definitely remember that. It's my dividend, my deposit, for the afterlife'. Yet the skills Mr Sadikin learned as a banker are now in huge demand in the area of global health as international aid budgets are cut. They are skills that are making him popular across the sector – perhaps popular enough to tempt him to run as the next WHO director general when Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus steps down in two years time. 'Historically, you can easily check that our enemy, the one that kills most human beings, is the pathogen,' he said. And the trick to raising money for health was to 'make the right investment case'. 'My advice to all the health ministers, my colleagues, is that there is a huge amount of money floating around in the world. You just need to know where to knock on the door.' He added: 'If global health needs more finance people like me – people that can help get political leaders not to use your money to buy things to kill people but buy goods to save people – then 'yes', I think I can be pretty good at selling that concept across'.
The Star
20-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Indonesia mobilises cross-border efforts to combat malaria in Papua
Papua New Guinea accounts for 26.4 percent of all malaria cases in the Asia Pacific. - Antara via The Jakarta Post/ANN JAKARTA: Amid the geographical and social complexities of Papua, new hope emerges through the formation of the Papua Malaria Consortium, a cross-sector strategic alliance born from the commitment of governors and the support of stakeholders to accelerate malaria elimination. "If we want Indonesia to be malaria-free, Papua is the key," said Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin during a press conference on Tuesday (June 17), held on the sidelines of the 9th Asia Pacific Leaders' Summit on Malaria Elimination in Bali, which brought together over 250 participants from 23 countries and regions and international organisations. He and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Ribka Haluk led a meeting with six governors from across Papua to develop a more targeted, cross-sector strategy. Papua, the easternmost region of Indonesia, accounts for over 93 per cent of the country's total malaria cases and has now become the epicentre of Indonesia's fight to eliminate the disease. According to Budi, elimination in Papua is not only a health target but also a step toward achieving social justice and strengthening an inclusive health system. Sarthak Das, chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance, expressed support for Indonesia's move to prioritise Papua in malaria elimination efforts. "Strong local leadership and cross-country collaboration are key to achieving the Asia Pacific region's malaria-free target by 2030," he said. This local commitment is also reinforced by the Bilateral Joint Action Plan signed between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on Monday. The cross-border cooperation framework aims to ensure that malaria control efforts are carried out in an integrated and equitable manner in areas that are geographically and epidemiologically interconnected. Papua New Guinea accounts for 26.4 percent of all malaria cases in the Asia Pacific. Therefore, Das added, Indonesia's ability to gain control in Papua would be a vital signal that similar success is possible in Papua New Guinea. The Global Fund, one of the key funding partners, affirmed its commitment to supporting Indonesia's efforts focused on malaria elimination in Papua. "I acknowledge the significant progress made by Indonesia in its fight against malaria, and the Global Fund is fully committed to supporting its partners in the region to combat and eliminate malaria across the Asia Pacific," said Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund. Sands also welcomed the launch of "Indonesia's Call to End Malaria" at the high-level forum, a national initiative to push for comprehensive malaria elimination. Indonesia's efforts go beyond commitment. The government is expanding the distribution of bed nets, strengthening surveillance systems, increasing the number and capacity of local health workers, and implementing community-based approaches that respect local Papuan wisdom, alongside treatment and vaccine development. Although challenges remain, especially in terms of geographical access, climate change, and population mobility, these joint efforts show that malaria elimination is no longer a distant dream. With strong political will, international support, and data-driven strategies, Papua could become an inspiring malaria elimination success story for the region. - Xinhua
Straits Times
15-06-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
Indonesian government eyes Bali, Labuan Bajo to develop medical tourism industry
Indonesia's first integrated medical tourism complex is expected to launch in Bali later in June. PHOTO: AFP JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin is considering popular tourist destinations such as Bali and Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara as strategic locations to develop Indonesia's medical tourism industry, amid efforts to reduce the number of citizens seeking medical treatment abroad. Mr Budi said that each year, an estimated one million to two million Indonesians travel abroad for medical treatment, primarily to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Independent
07-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Covid surge in Asia sparks concern about emergence of more infectious variants
India, Thailand, Indonesia, and several other countries in Asia have seen a surge in Covid cases since mid-May, sparking concerns about the emergence of more infectious variants of the novel coronavirus. India, which currently has more than 5,700 active Covid cases, reported four deaths from the infection over the last 24 hours. Although hospitalisations due to Covid remain low, India's health ministry is urging the public to remain careful, get tested quickly when symptoms appear, and continue to use masks in crowded spaces. In Thailand, hundreds of Covid patients have required hospitalisation since the beginning of June, while at least one has succumbed to the virus. The country reported 28,300 cases over just the first two days of this month, with the Bangkok metropolitan area accounting for the bulk of them. According to the Department of Disease Control, at least 70 people have died from Covid in the Southeast Asian country so far in 2025, mostly in large cities. The death rate has hovered around 0.106 per 100,000 people, suggesting the virus has not become deadlier. Indonesia has advised its healthcare institutions to remain vigilant and boost Covid surveillance amid a surge in infections attributed to new highly transmissible but less deadly variants of the coronavirus. "Cases are indeed increasing, but the rise is caused by variants that are relatively less deadly,' health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin told reporters earlier this week. Health authorities are monitoring Omicron subvariants LF.7 and NB.1.8.1 for driving the ongoing surge in infections in Asia. These strains are not yet labelled as variants of concern but are only suspected to be causing an increase in Covid cases. The NB.1.8.1 subvariant has previously been reported in Thailand, Australia, China, Britain and the US. It's already known to be a recombinant virus formed from the merging of two coronavirus variants. Lara Herrero, a virologist from Griffith University in Australia, suspects that NB.1.8.1 spread more easily than other variants. Studies of the variant on cultured laboratory tissues reveal that the new strain has the strongest ability to bind to human cell receptors, facilitating its entry into cells. 'Using lab-based models, researchers found NB.1.8.1 had the strongest binding affinity to the human ACE2 receptor of several variants tested, suggesting it may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains,' Dr Herrero wrote last month in The Conversation. Fatigue, sore throat, nasal congestion, and gut discomfort are widely reported to be the main symptoms of infection by the new strains. According to the World Health Organisation, current Covid vaccines should protect against severe symptoms caused by the newly reported variants. In India, though, nearly 50 per cent of the new infections are still caused by the older JN.1 strain, according to data from the country's SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium. Most people who get infected experience only mild symptoms that disappear on their own or with over-the-counter drugs such as cough medicines, analgesics and decongestants. However, vulnerable groups such as the elderly or those with comorbid conditions are being urged to seek hospital care if symptoms appear. Healthcare experts urge infected individuals experiencing shortness of breath, extreme fatigue or blood oxygen levels below 95 per cent to immediately seek medical attention.
Barnama
05-06-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Indonesia Banks On Tech In US$240 Bln Healthcare Overhaul
By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar JAKARTA, June 5 (Bernama) -- Indonesia expects its healthcare spending to hit US$240 billion over the next five years, with approximately one-third allocated to procuring medical equipment and developing health technology. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said Indonesia would need an additional US$84 billion over five years - about three times its current healthcare budget - to match healthcare service standards comparable to neighbouring Malaysia. bootstrap slideshow 'This is the right time to act. Let us build a resilient and modern Indonesian healthcare system together,' he said in a statement on Thursday, emphasising the need for technology-driven solutions to ensure the system remains robust and responsive. The Health Ministry said Indonesia is undergoing a critical healthcare transformation, with medical technology such as the PCSK9 inhibitor - a next-generation cholesterol-lowering injection - playing a key role in building a resilient and sustainable system amid fiscal constraints. Budi Gunadi said the drug would be rolled out to 500 hospitals nationwide, providing a more efficient alternative to traditional therapies that require daily administration. "The PCSK9 drug is a game-changer, and just one example of the many medical innovations we can adopt,' he said. -- BERNAMA
