Through this method, the patient treatment and caring process will become much more accurate and personal.
Bali (ANTARA) - Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin introduced the Biomedical and Genome Science Initiative (BGSi) to conduct accurate medical services for the community at an international exhibition in Singapore on Tuesday.

The event was an important momentum for Indonesia to gather global support in realizing the sixth pillar of national health transformation, specifically the transformation of health biotechnology, the minister said in a statement on Wednesday..

"This opportunity is very important and strategic for the Health Ministry, because in addition to disseminating information about BGSi, it is also an opportunity to share experiences in developing health innovations with various parties," the minister remarked.

Sadikin noted that BGSi is the first national initiative program that focuses on developing health services using precision health biotechnology and medical practices by utilizing the Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) technology that collected genomic information from humans and pathogens.


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"Through this method, the patient treatment and caring process will become much more accurate and personal," he noted.

The use of BGSi is focused on four non-communicable diseases -- cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and kidney injury -- that cause the highest number of deaths as well as financial burden in Indonesia, Sadikin stated.

The minister noted that by mapping the patient's genomic information, the risk factors of non-communicable diseases can be detected early.


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“Preventing (the disease) is much cheaper than curing. By knowing the patient's genomic pattern, the process of examination, treatment, and caring can be carried out specifically, so it becomes more efficient and effective. Moreover, the cost is also lower," he remarked at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) 2022.

In addition to introducing BGSi at the SWITCH 2022, which was part of his working visit to Singapore, the minister held discussions with several health service providers on cooperation opportunities.

He invited various international business actors attending the exhibition to invest in biotechnology development and health transformation program in Indonesia.



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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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