TNI Commander Reveals Plan to Build a Virus Research Lab

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto revealed that the military will soon build a laboratory for the specific use of researching viruses that is planned to be established over the Galang Island in Batam. 

“In the future, we will also propose to be able to have one BSL level 3 or level 4 laboratory to research about viruses that can be used for future soldiers’ vaccination programs,” said Hadi Tjahjanto in a Youtube podcast from the TNI’s official account on Sunday, November 8.

According to the TNI commander, the virus research lab that is in the TNI’s phase 4 strategic plan, had chosen Galang Island as a special infection hospital already exists at the location that is able to treat soldiers.

“We need to be close to the BSL 3 or BSL 4 to be able to breed the diseases into a vaccine that is readily available for vaccination,” he noted in the podcast. 

However, he maintains that this plan remains to be a long term plan that will need careful planning involving a number of experts. 

The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) currently already has the Nubika company that oversees nuclear, biology, and chemical issues but maintains that a future virus research lab will help strengthen this special unit and future pandemics.

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EGI ADYATAMA