Indonesian Minister of Health, Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, hoped that reaserchers would develop research directed to independence of medicine and vaccine. That statement was delivered by the Minister in front of researchers of Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM,) in her visit to see two laboratories at Radioputro Building, Faculty of Medicine, UGM, Friday (29/1).
The Minister expressed her support for the establishment of several research centers of medicine and vaccine research development through mapping of researches between research groups. “Research should be directed towards independence of medicine and vaccine. We will help them, the more capable research centers, the better Indonesia,†the Minister said. However, the Minister also hoped that research group centers do not conduct same but different research in order to complete each other. “Don’t worry, all who conduct research will be supported. I want us to have power that is spread, completing each other so that we can advance together,†she said.
In that occasion, the Minister recognised that the quality of educational implementation in UGM's Faculty of Medicine is better. However, she asked UGM to extend community service by admitting more students from regions. The Minister also hoped that future health staff studying at UGM are encouraged to return to their hometowns. “Ministry of Health will facilitate regions to motivate them to go back to their hometowns,†she said.
In her visit to UGM, the Minister of Health and Minister of National Development Planning/Chairman of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Armida Alisjahbana, met UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng., Ph.D. To both Ministers, UGM’s plan towards World Class Research University was explained by Senior Vice Rector for Academic, Research, and Community Service, Prof. Dr. Retno. S. Sudibyo, M. Sc., Apt., in Academic Senate Room.
After lunch, both Ministers visited the Molecular Biology Laboratory. In that occasion, the Minister of Health was briefed by researchers at the laboratory dealing with research on the development of imunotherapy for nasopharingeal cancer. The Minister asked that the laboratory can be used for research and examination of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), or Tuberculosis which is resistant to many kinds of drugs.