Nusantara Vaccines Must Be Included In The COVID-19 Research Consortium

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JAKARTA - Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives assesses that the Nusantara vaccine needs to be included as a member of the COVID-19 Research Consortium. Along with the emergence of new variants of mutations from the deadly virus.

According to member of Commission VII DPR, Mulyanto, the government needs to provide equal opportunities to all citizens who want to participate in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the efforts made by the Nusantara vaccine research team have met research standards.

"The COVID-19 Research Consortium needs to involve the Nusantara vaccine research team to complement the existing Red and White vaccine development platform. So that the development of this Nusantara vaccine is synergistic and optimal," said Mulyanto in his statement, Thursday, June 17.

Mulyanto assessed that the COVID-19 Research Consortium could become a scientific umbrella as well as scientific proof in the development of the Nusantara vaccine. Thus, he said, various scientific philosophical arguments and scientific technical findings that emerged could be discussed objectively in the consortium in accordance with the Research Consortium's function as a forum for scientific evaluation and coordination of COVID-19 research.

"This is a productive solution, rather than allowing the polemic about the Nusantara Vaccine on social media. Because if it is left it will only lead to pro-con and non-scientific attitudes, support and support by the elite, which eventually seeps into the socio-political area. life of the nation and state. This is counterproductive," said Mulyanto.

In addition, continued Mulyanto, togetherness in the research consortium will make vaccine research in the archipelago more accelerated. This is because research is carried out through institutional synergies, human resources, networks, scientific information, infrastructure and funding support.

"Don't be like now, the development of the Nusantara Vaccine is running 'alone' without solid institutional guidance," said the PKS politician.

As is known, BRIN through the COVID-19 Research Consortium is coordinating 11 Red and White vaccine research platforms run by 6 government research institutions and universities, namely LBM Eijkman, LIPI, UI, ITB, Unair, and UGM.

Mulyanto assessed that it would be synergistic and productive if the national vaccine research consortium included additional Nusantara vaccine research as the twelfth platform for Red and White vaccine research.

He said the state needed intervention to encourage domestic vaccine research and production. So that Indonesia is not only a user and buyer country.

"Indonesia can become a manufacturing country, based on the excellence of national reliable innovators. Our human resources and research institutions are capable of doing that. Don't lose to the mafia importing vaccines," said Mulyanto.

Mulyanto added that BRIN's role was very important in overcoming the polemic. Considering that BRIN is an institution with the main task and function of formulating, coordinating and implementing research and innovation policies nationally.

For this reason, Mulyanto urges the Government to immediately consolidate this Nusantara vaccine research into the COVID-19 Research Consortium, so that the domestic Vaccine research program is more consolidated and can be mass-produced immediately.

"Unfortunately, our state budget of hundreds of trillions of rupiah is spent on foreign vaccine imports," said Mulyanto.

Previously, the former health minister, Dr. Terawan Agus Putranto, and his research team revealed the results of the phase 2 clinical trial of the Nusantara vaccine in a hearing with Commission VII DPR RI, Wednesday, June 16.

Having drawn controversy, Dr. Terawan appeared by claiming that the Nusantara vaccine he developed with dendritic cell technology could be a solution to overcome the various new variants of the Corona virus that have emerged recently. Including, the Delta variant of the malignant virus which is more rapidly transmitted.

"Regarding the variant, I answered very easily, it only took eight days, I changed the antigen. Because the antigen is recombinant so S spike, we just have to see which mutation it is, just combine it," said Terawan.

"All we have to do is add British, Indian and South African mutations," he continued.