10-6-2024 (JAKARTA) Indonesia is gearing up to conduct clinical trials for several promising tuberculosis (TB) vaccines this year, amid mounting concerns over the disease’s potential impact on economic growth. With TB cases surging in recent years, the government is taking decisive action to combat this public health challenge.
The Southeast Asian nation has witnessed a sharp spike in TB cases in recent years, with the health ministry estimating over 1 million cases in 2023, compared to around 820,000 in 2020. Alarmingly, in 2022, deaths from TB in Indonesia reached a staggering 134,000, the second-highest in the world after India.
The escalating TB epidemic has raised concerns about its potential impact on economic activity and human development. According to human development minister Muhadjir Effendy, three-quarters of TB patients are in the productive age group, and 45% of all patients are currently unemployed. While the minister did not provide an estimate of the disease’s impact on growth, the implications are clear – the unchecked spread of TB could hamper Indonesia’s economic progress.
In a bid to combat this public health crisis, Indonesia plans to run clinical trials for several promising TB vaccines this year. Health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced that a trial of a TB vaccine developed by global pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is scheduled for July and will involve 2,500 participants.
Additionally, a clinical trial for a vaccine produced by China’s CanSino Biologics is also expected to take place this year.
Indonesia’s quest for an effective TB vaccine extends to exploring cutting-edge mRNA technology. “We’re also in the stage to conduct a clinical trial for an mRNA vaccine that is being developed by BioNTech, that had founded Covid vaccine for Pfizer,” Budi told a government meeting with provincial leaders.
The minister’s statement highlights Indonesia’s commitment to leveraging the latest advancements in vaccine development to tackle the TB epidemic.
In the same meeting, home affairs minister Tito Karnavian ordered provincial leaders to establish task forces to detect TB infections, underscoring the need for a coordinated, nationwide effort.
Indonesia has set an ambitious goal of reducing its mortality rate from TB by 80% to only six deaths per 100,000 lives by 2030, as stated by Budi.
