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RI leads Muslim world in pursuit of halal vaccines
Indonesia is stepping up its game in vaccine manufacturing after the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) named the country “the center of excellence” in vaccine supply and production
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ndonesia is stepping up its game in vaccine manufacturing after the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) named the country “the center of excellence” in vaccine supply and production.
With the OIC’s recognition - issued last December - Indonesia is expected to assist the Muslim world in the production of vaccines and other pharmaceutical products as well as to develop research on the production of halal vaccines.
The government is currently setting up an OIC vaccine research center, to be located at the premises of the Center for Science and Technology Research (Puspiptek) in South Tangerang, to support the research activities.
“We hope this center of excellence will reach the goal of achieving independent vaccine and biotechnology production for the OIC member states and can contribute to global health,” Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek said recently.
The Puspiptek facility is also expected to host a collaborative forum where OIC researchers can share knowledge and innovation related to vaccine and biotechnology production.
Poor access to vaccines, as well as widespread vaccine rejection among Muslims, remain the main problems hampering vaccination programs in many OIC countries.
Some religious communities are against vaccination due to concern that a vaccine might contain pork gelatin, which is forbidden in Islam. Others believe natural immunity is better for their children than the immunity acquired through vaccinations, while some people have doubts about the safety of a vaccine, particularly fearing short-term adverse reactions or long-lasting negative effects.
Eradicating diseases like polio and measles is difficult under such conditions, as they lead to a low vaccine coverage.
Currently, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria are the only three remaining polio-endemic countries in the world. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan are members of the OIC.
Vaccinologist Dirga Sakti Rambe said Indonesia’s new role could help other Muslim countries people’s improve access to vaccines.
Dirga said that, while some low- and middle-income countries lacked the resources or infrastructures to provide the vaccines, in some other countries, where the vaccines were available, the coverage was nevertheless low, because many communities continued to reject vaccines due to religious or cultural misperceptions.
“The religious and cultural factors hindering vaccination should also become a matter of concern of the OIC member states,” he said on Sunday. “They must address these particular challenges. We are not only talking about developing new and halal vaccines, but also about improved accessibility in these countries.”
He said finding new halal ingredients for vaccines as an alternative to the vaccines produced in western countries could be the key to help solve the problem.
“If we are dependent on vaccine industries in America and Europe, it will be difficult to have 100 percent halal vaccines. If we want halal vaccines, we must take control of the raw material production from the beginning. Thus, by creating our own materials,” he said.
Bio Farma president director Rahman Roestan said the state-owned vaccine manufacturer was ready to share its knowledge and technology.
To support the initiative, Bio Farma has prepared a workshop about a cold-chain system for vaccine distribution, which is an uninterrupted series of refrigerated production, storage and distribution activities to maintain a desired low-temperature range for vaccines.
Despite the antivaccine movement in several regions of Indonesia, the government, through Bio Farma, produces around 3.1 billion doses of vaccine each year and has established itself as one of the largest vaccine manufacturers in the world.
It has exported vaccines to 142 countries across the globe, 49 of which are members of the OIC.
Among 57 OIC members states, only Indonesia and Senegal have been granted pre-qualification certification from the World Health Organization for their vaccine production quality, safety and efficacy standards.
The WHO granted pre-qualification certificates to 14 vaccines from Indonesia, including for diphtheria, hepatitis B, polio, measles and tetanus, and to one vaccine from Senegal.
