Gates made the statement during a visit to the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Gates Foundation.
In his remarks, Gates said Indonesia serves as a strong example, having adopted new vaccines, including those for human papillomavirus (HPV), rotavirus (which causes diarrhea), and pneumococcus (which causes pneumonia).
He also highlighted the active role of Indonesia’s Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, a member of the board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), an organization supported by the Gates Foundation.
Gates noted that Sadikin became familiar with GAVI during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the partnership between Indonesia and GAVI has since flourished.
He emphasized that collaboration between Indonesia and global health organizations reflects the government's strong commitment to protecting future generations from preventable diseases.
Gates added that expanding vaccine coverage has been a key factor in reducing global child mortality over the past two decades.
He recalled that when the Gates Foundation was established in 2000, approximately 10 million children under the age of five died annually, primarily due to diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and other preventable conditions.
About 90 percent of those deaths, he said, were attributed to those causes, which prompted the Foundation to focus on developing and distributing vaccines and other essential medical tools.
Since then, Gates noted, the global under-five mortality rate has been cut in half to below five million—though he stressed that the figure remains too high.
He expressed optimism about future progress, particularly through technological innovation and international cooperation.
Gates concluded by saying that Indonesia plays a strategic role in advancing global health through research, vaccine distribution, and strengthening its national healthcare system.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Genta Tenri Mawangi, Cindy Frishanti
Editor: Anton Santoso
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