VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mount Sinabung in Karo District, North Sumatra Province, produces a column of ash on Aug 10, 2020 (ANTARA)

Mount Sinabung , located in Karo Regency, North Sumatra again spewed a giant ash cloud on Monday (10/8) around 10.16 AM. A personnel from  the local Geology and Volcanology Monitoring Center,  Armen Putra , reported that the ash cloud spewed into the sky as high as around 5,000 meters from the mount peak or 7,460 meters above the sea level.  

“The ash cloud was very dark and it was  spread more to the south-east and east-north direction,” said Armen. The eruption of Mount Sinabung on the island of Sumatra comes after more than a year of inactivity and was the second since Saturday, as authorities warned residents and tourists about possible lava flows.

Earlier it was reported that the eruption was the third in August this year, and two times on Saturday (8/8). The first eruption was as high as 2,000 meters above the peak of the mountain and on Saturday afternoon was as high 1,000 meters above the peak of the mountain.

As of Monday, the Mount Sinabung is still at alert status. People and visitors especially in relocated villages have been told to keep distance as far away 5 kilometers south-east  and from east-north zones for safety.

Villagers  have also been advised to keep adequate supply of clean water and  clean-up roof tops of their houses  from volcanic ash.People living nearby rivers with water originating from the mountain have been told to stay alert from mud and lava flows from the eruption above. (rri.co.id)

A health worker of the University of Pandjajaran for vaccine testing. ANTARA/Bagus Ahmad Rizaldi

Some 1,020 Indonesians registered as volunteers to assist in the clinical trials of a COVID-19 candidate vaccine developed along with Sinovac from China, Dr Eddy Fadliyana, field manager of the clinical trials’ research team, stated.

The vaccine testing would commence on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, at the Teaching Hospital (RSP) of Padjadjaran University (Unpad), Bandung City, West Java.

Fadliyana revealed that the vaccine tests will be conducted at six locations: Unpad Hospital, Unpad Health Center, Dago Community Health Center (Puskesmas), Sukapakir Community Health Center, Garuda Community Health Center, and Ciumbuleuit Community Health Center.

Healthy adults in the age group of 18 to 59 years and with no congenital diseases can register as volunteers.

A total of 1,620 volunteers are required for the vaccine tests. Each volunteer will receive incentive worth Rp1 million.

The money will be provided in five stages, with each offered Rp200 thousand monthly as volunteers, who will have to be present for the tests five times during a five-month period.

In the meantime, a total of 2,400 vaccines from Sinovac, China, had arrived in Bio Farma on July 19, 2020. The Indonesian company plans to start the third phase trials in August.  

Indonesia's state-owned pharmaceutical holding, Bio Farma, is optimistic of commencing production of the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine Sinovac in the first quarter (Q1) of 2021, if the third phase of the vaccine's clinical trial were to run smoothly.

The third phase of the clinical trial, scheduled to run for six months, is expected to conclude by January 2021, Honesti Basyir, the president director of Bio Farma, noted in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.

"If the third stage of the clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine were to run smoothly, Bio Farma would begin its production in the first quarter of 2021. To this end, we have readied its production facilities at Bio Farma, with a maximum capacity to produce 250 million doses," Basyir remarked.

Bio Farma chose Sinovac as a partner owing to its vaccine platform or the manufacturing method employed by Sinovac being at par with the company's competencies.

Through the use of the inactivation method, Bio Farma has experience in manufacturing vaccines, including the Pertussis vaccine. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo is scheduled to witness the first day of clinical trials of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine in Bandung City, West Java, on Tuesday, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto stated.

The vaccine's clinical trials will be conducted at the Educational Hospital of Padjadjaran University (Unpad).

The minister highlighted the need to apply health protocols during the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine to volunteers involved in the clinical trials. To this end, Putranto has monitored the preparations for the vaccine's clinical trials ahead of President Widodo's visit on Tuesday.

"The most important aspect is that the first phase of the vaccine's clinical trials tomorrow must be conducted in adherence to the health protocols since the president will be bearing witness to it," he noted.

Until now, 21 volunteers had undergone swab tests as a prerequisite for the injection of the China-made vaccine. If they all were to test negative for COVID-19 and fulfill the qualifications, they will be administered the injection of COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday (Aug 11).

The hospital’s second floor, the venue for the vaccine's clinical trials, has been sterilized in line with the set protocols.

Dean of the School of Medicine of Unpad Dr Setiawan confirmed to have checked the health condition of medical workers that will be involved in the vaccine's clinical trials.

"The room for the vaccine's clinical trials is far safer than usual," he added. (ANTARA)

Minister of Research and Technology, Bambang PS Brodjonegoro, who is also head of the BRIN. (ANTARA/HO-Public Relations of the University of Indonesia)

The  Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology/National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) launched a national artificial intelligence strategy and an electronic catalog for the innovation product sector to mark the 25th National Technology Awakening Day.

“The national artificial intelligence strategy, which is the direction of the national policy for 2020-2045, contains focus areas and priority areas for artificial intelligence technology for ministries, institutions, regions, and other stakeholders,” said Minister of Research and Technology, Bambang PS Brodjonegoro, who is also head of the BRIN, in his address to mark the 25th National Technology Awakening Day, which was broadcast from Jakarta on Monday.

The minister said the five priority programs under Indonesia's national artificial intelligence strategy include health services, bureaucratic reform, education and research, food security, and mobility and smart cities.

One of the current artificial intelligence programs is an artificial intelligence system for the detection of COVID-19.


With respect to the electronic catalog for the innovation product sector, the Ministry of Research and Technology, in collaboration with the Government Goods and Services Procurement Policy Agency (LKPP), is assisting in the marketing or down-streaming of Indonesian innovative products that have passed the technology and innovation readiness test, have been produced, have obtained permits, and are ready for distribution, the minister said.

The catalog will feature innovative products developed by the COVID-19 Research and Innovation Consortium.

The 25th National Education Day commemoration will include several activities, which will be carried out from August to November, 2020. The activities will range from the launch of strategic research and innovation products, seminars, to innovation services.

This year's commemoration is themed ‘Innovation as a Solution’, and the sub-theme is research and innovation excellence to increase Indonesia's independence. (ANTARA)