ASEAN4TB Consortium Officially Launched to Strengthen Cross-Border Tuberculosis Research in ASEAN

Jakarta, Indonesia — 22 May 2026 —The ASEAN4TB Consortium officially commenced its regional collaboration through the ASEAN4TB Kickoff Meeting held virtually via Zoom on Friday, 22 May 2026. The meeting marked the first official gathering of researchers, academicians, and institutional representatives from across ASEAN under the ASEAN4TB initiative.

The Kickoff Meeting represented an important milestone for the consortium, bringing together consortium members from various ASEAN countries for the first time in a single forum to initiate structured cross-border collaboration in Tuberculosis (TB) Research Plan and Joint Statement. The meeting aimed to establish a shared regional vision, introduce consortium members and their institutional roles, and lay the foundation for long-term collaboration leading up to the ASEAN4TB Symposium in July 2026.

The session formally introduced the ASEAN4TB Consortium and provided an overview of its objectives, structure, and strategic roadmap. It also served as an initial platform for discussions across ASEAN4TB’s Tracks to align priorities, define institutional contributions, and map future collaborative research directions.

Prof. Erlina Burhan, MD, MSc, PhD, serving as Advisory Board of ASEAN4TB, introduced the initiative to all participants:

“ASEAN4TB is a regional collaborative initiative established by the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia and supported by RPRI. This initiative involves all ASEAN member states, with the objective of strengthening coordination among academic and research institutions, supporting joint research initiatives, and contributing to improved TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes across the ASEAN region. Our shared vision is: ‘One region, one goal—End TB.’”

The event involved consortium members representing institutions affiliated with the ASEAN Medical School Network (AMSN), including participants from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Brunei. Moderators from each research track facilitated focused group discussions to initiate coordination and research planning among participating institutions.

As part of the follow-up to the kickoff meeting, consortium members agreed on a series of structured milestones to guide the development and finalization of the Research Plan and Joint Statement for each research track, including:

• 5 June 2026 — Checkpoint 1: Initial development of Research Plan and Joint Statement per track

• 19 June 2026 — Checkpoint 2: Continuation and finalization of Research Plan and Joint Statement

• 1–2 July 2026 — ASEAN4TB Symposium in Jakarta, Indonesia, featuring keynote speakers, abstract presentations, pitch tank sessions, signing of Joint Statement, and Research Plan Finalization.

Through this initiative, ASEAN4TB aims to strengthen regional scientific coordination and foster impactful research partnerships, contributing to accelerated progress toward tuberculosis elimination across the ASEAN region.

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