Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin on December 16 urged countries to strengthen collaboration and support vaccine development to achieve the goal of eradicating tuberculosis (TB) by 2030.
Speaking at the 38th Coordinating Board Meeting of the Stop TB Partnership in Abuja, Nigeria, Minister Budi emphasised the need for innovation and concrete measures to curb the spread of TB.
He highlighted the importance of enhanced cooperation and investment to facilitate mass production of TB vaccines by 2028, paving the way for TB elimination in the future.
Minister Budi pointed out that the availability of TB vaccines, akin to the COVID-19 vaccines, will be a game-changer in TB prevention measures, which have remained unchanged for centuries.
Indonesia is among the priority nations spearheading TB vaccine development and is collaborating with other countries to ensure the widespread availability of the vaccines by 2029. Minister Budi noted Indonesia's involvement as one of the clinical trial sites for the M72 TB vaccine, developed by GSK and the Gates Foundation.
These efforts align with the Stop TB Partnership’s mission to amplify the voices of affected communities and ensure equitable access to healthcare services.
Budi also highlighted a report from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, which recognized Indonesia’s effective use of global funding for TB treatment.
The initiative underscores Indonesia’s commitment to combating TB and supporting global health efforts./.
