At Prabowo’s Direction, BRIN Steps Up Malaria Vaccine Research

President Prabowo Subianto has called for malaria vaccine research to be accelerated. The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is aiming to complete its research three years earlier than planned.

BRIN head Arif Satria made the remarks after meeting Prabowo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday (27 October 2026). Arif said BRIN is currently developing four malaria vaccine candidates.

“Earlier, we also discussed this because the President has called me several times to ask about vaccines and vaccine self-sufficiency. BRIN is currently conducting research into vaccines, particularly for malaria, and has four vaccine candidates,” Arif said.

Overall, around five to six malaria vaccine candidates are being developed in Indonesia through collaboration among various parties, including the Ministry of Health.

Arif said Prabowo had instructed BRIN to speed up its vaccine research. With the President’s support, he said, he was working to bring the target forward by three years.

“The President asked for the research process related to this vaccine to be accelerated. We hope that, with his support, we can complete it three years earlier than planned, as he will provide full backing for vaccine production, particularly for malaria,” he said.

Arif said domestic development of a malaria vaccine could deliver wider benefits, not only for Indonesians but also for other countries still facing malaria.

“If we can produce it in Indonesia, this could be one of Indonesia’s contributions to the world. The President also stressed our contribution to the world, because malaria is not found only in Indonesia, and there is no vaccine available globally. We can therefore contribute to the well-being of people around the world,” he said.

Prabowo Urges Development of Herbal Medicines

Alongside malaria vaccines, Prabowo has urged the development of herbal medicines to be accelerated as part of efforts to achieve national self-sufficiency in medicines.

“Herbal medicines have great potential, and BRIN has also been working with various parties to speed up their development,” Arif said.

BRIN currently has 19 herbal medicine candidates intended to attain phytopharmaceutical status. Arif said some of the products under development remain at the Standardised Herbal Medicine (OHT) stage and need to be tested to reach phytopharmaceutical status.

“BRIN currently has 19 herbal medicine candidates intended to become phytopharmaceuticals. Some of the medicines at BRIN are still at the OHT, or Standardised Herbal Medicine, stage. The aim now is to advance them to phytopharmaceutical status,” he said.

To speed up the process, BRIN will co-ordinate with the Ministry of Health and the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM), particularly on carrying out and accelerating the required testing stages.

“We will co-ordinate with the Ministry of Health and BPOM to speed this up,” he said.