ASEAN4TB Symposium 2026 Officially Convenes, RPRI Advances Stronger Tuberculosis Research Collaboration Across Southeast Asia

JAKARTA, 3 July 2026 — The Respiratory Programmatic Implementation and Research Institute (RPRI), together with the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia (FKUI), organized the ASEAN4TB Symposium 2026, held over two days from 1–2 July 2026 at the IMERI Building, FKUI, Jakarta. The symposium brought together academics, researchers, health professionals, government representatives, and members of the ASEAN Medical Schools Network (AMSN) from across the region to formulate joint measures to accelerate tuberculosis elimination in Southeast Asia.

The centerpiece of the two-day meeting was the Endorsement of the ASEAN4TB Joint Statement, a shared declaration affirming the commitment of countries across the region to expand research collaboration, strengthen human resource capacity, drive innovation, and ensure that research findings can be applied directly to national and regional TB policies and control programs.

This collective step responds to the persistently high burden of tuberculosis in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia. According to the Global TB Report 2025, Indonesia carries the second-highest tuberculosis burden in the world after India, with an estimated more than one million new cases in 2024 and 125,000 deaths.

ASEAN4TB was established as a research collaboration platform initiated by AMSN member medical faculties, with funding support from the ASEAN Research Collaborative Fund (ARCF). Led by the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, the consortium is expected to strengthen academic networks while accelerating innovation for TB control across the region. As a first step, ASEAN4TB has established four principal research tracks:

• ACHIEVE-TB (ASEAN Collaborative Hub for AI in Tuberculosis), Focuses on developing and scaling AI-powered diagnostic tools and digital innovations to improve TB detection and care across ASEAN

• CATCH-TB (ASEAN Collaborative Action to Track and Capture Hidden TB), Aims to strengthen active case finding and community engagement strategies to uncover undiagnosed TB cases, especially in hard-to-reach populations.

• ANTERA (ASEAN Alliance for Novel TB Treatment Regimens), Dedicated to advancing clinical research and access pathways for shorter, more effective TB treatment regimens in the region

• ACE-TB (ASEAN Consortium for Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis), Focuses on improving diagnosis, management, and awareness of extrapulmonary TB through regional collaboration and knowledge sharing.

On the first day, each track convened a side meeting to advance discussions and draft the Joint Statement. The outcomes were presented on the second day, followed by the awarding of a research grant of USD 400 to each track.

RPRI plays an active role in this initiative through its Director, Prof. Dr. dr. Erlina Burhan, M.Sc., Sp.P(K), who also serves as a member of the ASEAN4TB Advisory Board. This involvement aligns with the institute's mission, which has long centered on research, training, and strengthening respiratory service capacity in Indonesia. Participation in ASEAN4TB opens opportunities for RPRI to broaden cross-country research collaboration while accelerating the translation of research innovations into TB policies and control programs at both the national and international levels.

“Konsorsium ini, yang baru saja dibentuk kemarin, diharapkan dapat menjadi wadah bagi negara-negara ASEAN untuk memperkuat jaringan kolaborasi guna mewujudkan visi ASEAN4TB, yaitu One Region, One Goal: End TB," said Prof. Erlina.

On the same occasion, Prof. Nicholas Paton, MD, FRCP, said his vision was to create opportunities to bring diverse parties together, noting that TB control has to date remained heavily focused on national programs. He observed that international leadership particularly at the research level and regional integration remain very limited.

Guided by the spirit of "One Region, One Goal: End TB," RPRI hopes that ASEAN4TB will continue to grow into a hub for tuberculosis research collaboration in Southeast Asia, one that accelerates knowledge exchange, drives innovation, and produces evidence-based solutions for TB elimination across the region. RPRI is committed to supporting the implementation of the ASEAN4TB Joint Statement through research programs, health workforce training, and domestic policy advocacy.

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