As 14 OIC Member Countries Attend Workshop on Vaccines in Jakarta

Jakarta, MINA – A number of delegates from 14 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), including Palestinians attended a workshop on vaccines with the theme “OIC Workshop on Vaccine Cold Chain Management” in Jakarta on 1-2 October 2019.

Indonesian Health Minister, Nila F. Moeleok who opened the event said the workshop was a manifestation of Indonesia’s commitment as the OIC Center of Excellence on Vaccines and Biotechnology Products.

Indonesia was pointed as a Center of Excellence in 2017 after going through two sessions of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Health and various other efforts.

Nila explained Indonesia as one of the OIC member countries, has the capacity to produce vaccines and biotechnology products.

“And ensuring that vaccines that reach the community provide the best results for improving health. I believe this workshop will be useful to achieve this goal, “said Nila.

As part of the global community, OIC member states face similar challenges.

At present, it is estimated that in OIC member states, 45.6 percent of deaths are caused by infectious diseases.

OIC countries have experienced difficulties in reducing maternal and child mortality since 1990. The conditions of malnutrition are still quite common where 36 percent of children under the age of five are still classified as stunting and 22 percent are classified as underweight according to 2010-2011 data.

Access to medicines, vaccines, and other health products, including biotechnology products is recognized as an important part of achieving a strong health system.

However, the OIC has generally acknowledged that the member countries are still lagging far behind in their vaccine production capacity.

Because of that to overcome this problem, the Minister of Health of OIC Member States raised the issue of independence of vaccine supply and production. (T/Sj/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)