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Bio Farma to host vaccine production workshop
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- (Photos courtesy of JP/Rehza)
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tate-owned vaccine production company Bio Farma is currently conducting a vaccine production workshop for Islamic countries in the exhibition room of its industrial compound in Bandung, West Java.
The workshop, which kicked off on Nov. 15 and will continue until Nov. 18, seeks to serve as a platform among the countries to exchange knowledge on new frontiers of safe and high-quality vaccine manufacturing.
Targeted participants are Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries that have a vaccine industry or are currently developing one.
Bio Farma has been entrusted by the OIC to host and co-organize the event with other organizations, namely the Health Ministry’s directorate general of disease control and prevention, Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), the country’s technical advisory group on immunization and the World Health Organization (WHO). Individuals from the organizations are also acting as facilitators and panelists during the workshop.
Prior to the event, Bio Farma hosted a meeting between Muslim countries’ vaccine production industry representatives on Nov. 14 to 15. Vaccine Manufacturers Group (VMG) chairman Tarek Ibrahim Mahmoud said the program sought to achieve self-sufficiency in manufacturing for Muslim countries.
He added that his company Arabio, from Saudi Arabia, planned to invest in Bio Farma’s product and technology development, especially to produce vaccines for measles, tetanus and hepatitis, among others.
During the meeting, the group welcomed Turkish vaccine company Keymen Ilac as a new member.
“This forum is important to exchange knowledge in terms of vaccine development among Muslim countries,” Keymen Ilac managing director Mutlu Topal said.
The workshop comprises discussions, a field visit to observe Bio Farma’s production process as well as a fringe event promoting Indonesia’s biodiversity, culture and potential as a tourist destination.
Agenda items include capacity building programs on waste management for vaccine manufacturers, clinical trials and surveillance as well as storage, cold chain and distribution, conducted on Wednesday. The program’s capacity building activities will end on Thursday with a factory visit and tour of the Bio Farma museum.
On the same day, participants will enjoy a number of cultural programs, like listening to angklung (traditional bamboo instruments). On the final day, participants will take a tour of Bandung. Here is a snapshot of some of the upcoming programs:
Waste management has become an important topic for Islamic countries’ vaccine industry management, especially after the industry was rocked by a number of fake vaccine cases in Indonesia and Senegal a few months ago. Senegal will be a panelist during the session conducted on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.
Given the rising dengue fever cases in Indonesia, the workshop will also include a consortium on dengue vaccine research to achieve national self-sufficiency.
