Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin accompanied GAVI during the visit to the health center and PT Biofarma in Bandung, West Java.
In a statement from the Health Ministry, Tuesday, the GAVI board members were briefed by Teti Hendriani Agustin, the Pasirkaliki Health Center head, who provided details about maintaining vaccine storage temperatures to ensure vaccine integrity and prevent potential damage.
Agustin explained that the process uses Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the Electronic Logistics Inventory Monitoring System (SMILE) developed by the Health Ministry, GAVI, and UNDP.
Agustin underscored the need for an integrated vaccine storage temperature monitoring system to maintain vaccine quality. She also noted that the ministry, along with GAVI and UNDP, collaborate to ensure the maintenance of the cold chain in the vaccine logistics system in Indonesia.
She explained that each vaccine refrigerator has a temperature monitoring device with IoT technology that provides temperature information to the SMILE monitoring application managed by pharmacy officers at the district/city, provincial, and national levels.
"This IoT is what will later enable us to monitor temperatures in stages up to the Ministry of Health so that the Ministry of Health can see the temperature trend of the vaccines in the refrigerator," he elaborated.
Furthermore, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin affirmed that vaccine information is also available in the "SatuSehat" application. The public can also monitor the vaccination history received through the application.
"We have also digitized all information about vaccines, so mothers need not worry because everything can be read on SatuSehat," the minister remarked.
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Meanwhile, during the visit to PT Biofarma, the minister commended the production capacity and distribution tracking system owned by PT Biofarma.
The minister and GAVI board members visited the vaccine production facility of PT Biofarma to witness up close the production process, packaging, and monitoring of vaccine distribution.
"Biofarma has the capacity for production and distribution. We also saw earlier digitally how we can track by vial, by boxes, if we want to distribute vaccines everywhere," the minister remarked.
The minister expressed hope that other countries can emulate Biofarma so that vaccine distribution worldwide can run better.
In a discussion session with GAVI after the field visit, President Director of PT Biofarma Shadiq Akasya drew attention to three strategic aspects of the partnership between Biofarma and GAVI.
Under the first approach, Akasya called to strengthen the supply chain's resilience so that vaccine availability is not disrupted.
The president director then drew attention to the second aspect, which entails innovating to meet the needs of new and evolving health threats, while the third entails collaborating in increasing capacity to support health systems in areas that are difficult to receive assistance.
Akasya also expressed optimism that GAVI's visit to Biofarma would expand access to vaccines for the world's people.
"As we gather here today, let us reaffirm our common goal of strengthening the global health system and creating a world where equitable access to vaccines is a reality for everyone," he stated.
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Translator: Mecca Yumma Ning Prisie, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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