Indonesia Eyes Leadership in Global Health as Site for Bill Gates’ Tuberculosis Vaccine Trial
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JAKARTA, investortrust.id – Indonesia has positioned itself at the forefront of global health innovation by committing to host Phase 3 clinical trials for a new tuberculosis vaccine developed with support from American philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. This decision is driven by the urgent need to curb tuberculosis, the country’s deadliest infectious disease.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the vaccine, supported by The Gates Foundation, offers critical hope against tuberculosis, which kills more than 100,000 Indonesians annually—more than COVID-19 fatalities in the past five years combined. He emphasized that vaccines remain the most effective scientific solution to halt the spread of infectious diseases.
“Diseases like smallpox and COVID-19 could be stopped due to vaccines. That’s why we need vaccines to reduce the burden of diseases like TB,” Budi told reporters at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
Indonesia's involvement in the trials brings several advantages. First, it allows researchers to evaluate the vaccine’s compatibility with the genetic makeup of the Indonesian population. Second, it gives local scientists access to cutting-edge vaccine technology through collaboration with top universities such as Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad) and Universitas Indonesia (UI).
Moreover, it strengthens Indonesia’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities, particularly through Bio Farma, the state-owned pharmaceutical company based in Bandung.
“We can negotiate faster local production once the vaccine is proven effective. Bio Farma is ready,” Budi said.
The tuberculosis vaccine trial in Indonesia is already underway, involving researchers from UI and Unpad. The urgency is clear: tuberculosis kills two Indonesians every five minutes, making it the second-deadliest TB hotspot in the world after India.
President Prabowo Subianto, who met with Gates on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at the Merdeka Palace, confirmed the initiative and stressed its significance.
“Mr. Gates is developing a TB vaccine for the world, and Indonesia will be one of the trial sites,” he said.
The global scope of the trials extends beyond Indonesia to India and several African nations—regions with high TB prevalence. Gates is also supporting the development of a malaria vaccine.
Indonesia’s TB mortality rate has remained consistently high over the past decade, with daily deaths equivalent to two Boeing 737 crashes. Although TB prevalence declined for 20 years before the pandemic, it surged again after COVID-19 disrupted public health efforts. The situation has become so critical that several countries, including Japan, now require Indonesian citizens to present TB-free certificates when applying for visas.
President Prabowo has made tuberculosis eradication one of his administration’s quick-win health priorities—programs designed to deliver fast and tangible results early in his presidency. These include expanding testing, tracing, treatment, and accelerating vaccine development.
Indonesia has a strong foundation for vaccine innovation. State-owned Bio Farma is already the world’s largest producer of polio vaccines, exporting to 150 countries and saving an estimated 9 to 10 million lives annually. The company also successfully developed the locally made Merah Putih COVID-19 vaccine, led by Indonesian scientists.
The Gates Foundation, the largest purchaser of polio vaccines globally, is now supporting Bio Farma to produce the TB vaccine in Bandung. If successful, the vaccine could save millions of lives globally and further establish Indonesia’s position as a leading vaccine producer for the developing world.
