IDB countries to discuss vaccine industry

BANDUNG, West Java: Seventeen member countries of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) will hold a dialogue on vaccine industries during the 6th IDB annual meeting in Bandung from Aug. 6-9.

“This is part of our mutual cooperation to produce vaccines independently because we have been importing vaccines from Western countries thus far,” PT Bio Farma corporate secretary M. Rahman Rustan said in Bandung on Wednesday.

The IDB, founded in 1975 and based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has 57 member countries. The organization seeks to improve the lives of people in Islamic countries, by spurring development in health, education and sustainable environment.

According to Rahman, the IDB has initiated a special program over the past six years, called the Self Reliance in Vaccine Production (SRVP) program.

He said that during the meeting Indonesia would share its experiences and knowledge on vaccine processing because among IDB member countries, Indonesia is home to a vaccine producer recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Of the 200 vaccine producers around the world, the WHO has only recognized 23 countries. One of them is Indonesia,” he added. — JP