(English) Vaccine Production and Availability Self Reliance

Jakarta, October 22, 2013, Many of OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation)  countries encounter the challenges in the access of the sufficient and affordable pharmaceutical products. Therefore, Indonesia is highly supporting one of the agendas of OIC to promote the self-reliance in pharmaceutical products and vaccines through the increase of production capacity. “Indonesia is trusted to develop the network and share the knowledge and experience to strengthen  the partnership establishment between OIC countries”, said the Vice Health Minister of Indonesian Republic, Prof. Dr. Ali Gufron Mukti, MSc, PhD, on the 7^th Steering Committee on Health (SCH) OIC Meeting session, yesterday, in Jakarta (21/10). Indonesia, as one of OIC countries, is participating to encourage the members of OIC to be able to realize the self-reliance pharmaceutical products manufacture, especially the high quality and affordable vaccines. Currently, Indonesia owns the vaccine manufacturer which has fulfilled the pre-qualification standard of WHO (World Health Organization). This was conducted in order to assure the quality, efficiency and efficacy of vaccine and medicine in Indonesia. Vaccine Production and Availability Self Reliance is one of the visions of Indonesia to be the hub of vaccine technology. The progress of vaccine technology in Indonesia has been proven by the launching of the new Pentavalent vaccine self-reliantly produced by Bio Farma to be registered into the National Immunization Program. The vaccine is known as Pentavalent because it is the combination of 5 antigens, such as DPT (Diptheria, Pertussis and Tetanus), Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus type B (HiB). The declaration has been conducted by the Minister of Health in the mid of 2013 in Karawang, West Java. (CCBF)