To handle communicable diseases in the future, it will be necessary to improve research capacity and capability as well as strengthen surveillance so that new pathogens can be identified, she said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Adequate infrastructure capacity as well as effective communication and coordination will also be important for handling and predicting pandemics, she added.
Research results in the health sector could help reduce the double burden that the Indonesian health sector has to bear, namely handling non-communicable and communicable diseases.
Non-communicable diseases and communicable diseases that have emerged previously still pose a threat globally due to several factors such as their associated economic burden, mortality, morbidity, as well as social and geopolitical implications.
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has made the world realize the importance of anticipatory efforts for handling future pandemics.
According to Dharmayanti, what needs to be considered are the sources of communicable diseases, which are mostly animals.
This necessitates building an understanding of main host characteristics, host range, virus spillover events, frequency of infection, and type of intermediate host.
"Understanding this will strengthen zoonosis disease surveillance in remote regions," she explained.
Moreover, there should be an approach within the environmental, animal, and human health sectors to realize better health for society.
The One Health Approach, which is based on the principles of communication, cooperation, and collaboration in various sectors, is expected to be effective in handling health risks globally.
To encourage improvement in health research, BRIN has organized the 2022 International Conference for Health (ICHR) with the theme “Current Progression on Enhancing the Quality of Health: From Research Chamber to Clinical Implementation.”
The international conference aims to spread and encourage the exchange of information on the latest developments at all research institutions.
It also seeks to promote the prospect of multinational and multi-institutional cooperation to achieve health and prosperity.
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Translator: Martha H S, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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