The statement was made based on a telephone conversation between the Indonesian Foreign Minister and her Australian counterpart, Marise Payne, during which they also discussed the possibility of a collaboration between Indonesia’s Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology and Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).
"Australia also wants to strengthen cooperation between research institutions [...] for capacity building, including in the field of vaccines. Of course, this wish will be followed up through direct talks between CSIRO and the Eijkman Institute," Minister Marsudi said.
The Eijkman Institute is currently developing a Red and White vaccine for COVID-19 with PT Bio Farma. In a statement released on August 14, 2020, Bio Farma stated that the vaccine is expected to be available for use in 2022.
"We hope that in early 2021, we will be able to hand over vaccine seeds from Eijkman, and then further development will be carried out at Bio Farma," said PT Bio Farma's senior research and development manager, Neni Nurainy.
Meanwhile, CSIRO is developing a COVID-19 vaccine in Australia along with its partners, The University of Queensland and the CSL biotechnology company. They launched human trials of the vaccine in mid-July.
"CSIRO's expertise is translating biomedical research into commercial products using world-class science and technology," Sr. Susie Nilsson, leader of the CSIRO biology group, said in a press statement issued on July 13, 2020.
Cooperation in the health sector between Indonesia and Australia, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, will not be limited to vaccines, the minister pointed out. Earlier, on July 24, 2020, the Australian Government had handed over 100 units of ventilators to Indonesia.
"All of the ventilator units have been received, while the complementary equipment, according to the plan, will arrive next month (September, 2020)," said Foreign Minister Marsudi. (INE)
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Suwanti/Aria Cindyara
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
