Awarded With Best Health Innovation Award, DeBio Network Receives USD 2.35 Million Financing

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - DeBio Network, a blockchain startup in the medical field that won the Healthtech Innovation of The Year Award from CNBC Indonesia, has again recorded a financing record of USD 2.35 million or around IDR 33 billion.

In his comments on this success, Pandu Sastrowardoyo, CEO of DeBio Network, expressed the importance of innovation in health services, especially since the need is urgent with the ongoing pandemic.

"Health technology is a crucial sector for Indonesia. With a population of 280 million, the potential is huge, and it will soon become our collective concern," said Pandu in a written statement, Saturday, December 11.

He expressed a further vision to serve the entire population of the world, not just Indonesia.

"This award will encourage DeBio Network to continue to work not only for Indonesia, but the international community as a whole, by providing medical data for those who do have it. We believe in data ownership and sovereignty for each user," explained Pandu.

DeBio Network is the first anonymous medical and biomedical platform for users who wish to require medical tests and samples from home. DeBio is built on a substrate basis, a blockchain framework that is behind the Polkadot & Kusama ecosystem.

With the blockchain solution in use, the confidentiality and anonymity of user data is guaranteed for those who need tests and samples from home.

"The use of web3 technology even allows its users to monetize their health data with the assurance of maintaining identity privacy," he added.

Blockchain potential for healthcare innovation

Doctor Mariya Mubarika, Expert Board of the Indonesian Integrated Digital Doctors Association and chairman of the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association (PB IDI) Legislation Advocacy Division, revealed that blockchain innovation is indeed needed to develop the medical world.

"In addition to minimizing incidents of data misuse, blockchain is also recognized as an authentication provider to verify user access to health-related data services using only one identity. Besides that, it can also contribute to personalized health care," said Mariya.

She further revealed, the application of blockchain allows doctors to monitor patients more efficiently.

"Blockchain helps doctors track patient data more easily by using timestamps that are recorded for each transaction, so patients can be monitored more closely and can be taken quickly when critical and emergency problems occur," she added.

Responding to the importance of confidentiality of medical data, Sigit Widodo, Observer of Technology and Information, emphasized that the law does mandate the confidentiality of patient's medical data, so innovation is needed to ensure this.

"Our laws and regulations do require the protection of medical service information. Although the Personal Data Protection Bill has stalled in the House of Representatives (DPR), our health laws and regulations already regulate the confidentiality of medical service information, which is contained in Law No. 29, 2004 and Minister of Health Regulation No. 269 Year 2008 regarding medical records," said Sigit.

Doctor Mariya Mubarika also has the same opinion. "This innovation is in line with the efforts of the Indonesian House of Representatives and the government regarding the preparation of the Personal Data Protection Bill. Blockchain can be an option as a system to fulfill institutional obligations in the law that is being drafted, of course, while taking into account the possible negative impacts and risks that could arise in the future," explained Mary.

Given the potential of Indonesia's large population and adequate quality, Sigit Widodo believes the technology created will be able to answer it.

"Basically, Indonesia has qualified human resources and has a high ability to innovate. In the field of information and communication technology, Indonesia has enormous potential to create innovations that can be accepted by the world," added Sigit.