Strengthening Cooperation between Indonesia - Morocco - Tunisia, Indonesia is trusted to assist the Self-Reliance of Vaccine Production in OIC member countries

Jakarta, 27/8. Indonesia is trusted to share knowledge about vaccine production to Morocco and Tunisia in the program "Strengthening Indonesia-Morocco-Tunisia Development Cooperation through Reverse Linkage (RL) Program" which will be held on August 27^th-30^th 2018, in Jakarta and Bandung. This RL activity was held in cooperation with the Ministry of National Development Planning-PPN / BAPPENAS in cooperation with the National Agency for Drug and Food Control; Ministry of Health and Bio Farma through the Reverse Linkage program with Islamic Development Bank (ISDB).

The program was attended by representatives of the Tunisian Ministry of Health, Institute Pasteur de Tunis, Directorate of medicine and Pharmacy of the Moroccan Ministry of Health, Insitute Pasteur du Maroc, Pharmaceutical Agency (Agence Marocaine d'Industrie Pharmaceutique) of Morocco". Opened on Monday, August 27^th, 2018, by directly meeting the Minister of National Development Planning / Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro was accompanied by M. Rahman Roestan, President Director of Bio Farma.

According to Bambang PS Brodjonegoro, Minister of PPN / Head of Bappenas, "This activity is a form of Triangular South-South Cooperation, the core of this cooperation is that Indonesia will provide knowledge, experience and technical assistance to IsDB and OIC member countries, such as Tunisia and Morocco who attended here to share knowledge about vaccine production, which coincidentally Bio Farma has been determined as one of the leading institutions for vaccine production for OIC member countries," Bambang said.

Bambang added, Morocco and Tunisia want to study the vaccine from Bio Farma, which can improve health in the country, or other OIC member countries

The meeting with the Minister of National Development Planning / Head of Bappenas and the staffs will also present material on health development policy in Indonesia, as well as sharing on health and pharmaceutical policies in Morocco.

Followed by material and visits to the POM and the Ministry of Health. While on Tuesday, August 28^th, 2018, located in Bio Farma area in Bandung, a presentation from the Director of Bio Farma will be conveyed about the strategy of providing vaccines for national and global needs.

"Morocco and Tunisia are members of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), so that in the long term it is necessary to prepare themselves for the self-reliance of vaccine production in OIC member countries, they are interested in increasing their ability to develop vaccines to meet domestic vaccine needs in their country. Indonesia and ISDB through the Reverse Linkage Program are committed to support the development of Morocco and Tunisia in the Pharmaceutical sector," Rahman added.

"Currently Bio Farma is a vaccine manufacturer whose Indonesian competence and expertise in vaccine production has been recognized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). In December 2017, the 6^th OIC Health Minister Conference in Jeddah has endorsed Indonesia's status as "Center of Excellence on Vaccine and Bio-technology Product".

As a country that is leading in producing vaccines, Indonesia is very committed to help other developing countries to improve their capabilities in the field of vaccine development.

About Reverse Linkages Program

The Government of Indonesia and the Islamic Development Bank (ISDB) have adopted the "Member Country Partnership Strategy (MCPS) 2016-2020 as a means of establishing cooperation between IsDB and Indonesia as member countries. One of the main pillars of support for implementing MCPS is the Reverse Linkages program, which is a development cooperation activity facilitated by ISDB, where members of the countries become participants and directly become representatives, in sharing expertise, knowledge, investment experience, successful experience, best practices, to overcome the constraints of development by utilizing opportunities that are very rare in other ISDB countries in mutually beneficial synergies. On December 27^th, 2017.

The Minister of National Development Planning / Head of BAPPENAS and the President of ISDB signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement the Reverse Linkages program in which Indonesia agreed to be involved in 13 fields of cooperation. Based on successful initiatives and programs from the Government of Indonesia and in line with the most urgent needs of the ISDB member countries, one of the areas that has been identified, especially in vaccine development whose cooperation through the RL Program is intended to increase independence, availability of vaccines and increase further opportunities for economic cooperation through the exchange of relevant knowledge, expertise and technology.

About Bio Farma

Bio Farma is a state-owned producer of Vaccines and Antisera, currently developing into a Life-science company, founded on August 6^th, 1890. During its 128 years of establishment Bio Farma has contributed to improve the quality of life of the nation, both in Indonesia and abroad. More than 140 countries have used Bio Farma Vaccine products, especially developing countries, and 50 of them are countries that are members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

With a production capacity of more than 2 billion doses per year, is the largest in Southeast Asia. Bio Farma has fulfilled the needs of National vaccines, including the need for vaccines for Hajj and Umrah Pilgrims, as well as world vaccine needs through WHO and UNICEF.

With the Dedicated to Improve Quality of Life philosophy, Bio Farma plays an active role in increasing the availability and independence of vaccine production in developing countries and Islamic countries to safeguard global health security. Further information www.biofarma.co.id