ASEAN4TB Symposium 2026 Secures Regional Endorsement to Strengthen Tuberculosis Research in Southeast Asia

Jakarta, 2 July 2026 – Academics, researchers, healthcare professionals, government representatives, and delegates from member institutions of the ASEAN Medical Schools Network (AMSN) across Southeast Asia gathered at the ASEAN4TB Symposium 2026, held on 1–2 July 2026 at the IMERI Building, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia. The symposium culminated in the Endorsement of the ASEAN4TB Joint Statement on Tuberculosis Research in Southeast Asia, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthen research collaboration, foster innovation, build research capacity, and accelerate efforts toward tuberculosis (TB) elimination across the region.

Southeast Asia remains one of the regions with the highest TB burden in the world. Based on the 2024 estimates, Indonesia recorded approximately 1.09 million TB cases and ranked as the country with the second-highest TB burden globally. In addition to Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar are also among the 30 countries with the highest TB burden according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The high number of cases, along with various challenges ranging from delayed diagnosis to the need for more effective treatment, demonstrates that efforts to end TB require sustained cross-country collaboration.

To address these challenges, ASEAN4TB was established as a tuberculosis research collaboration platform in Southeast Asia, initiated by the medical schools of the ASEAN Medical Schools Network (AMSN) and supported by the ASEAN Research Collaborative Fund (ARCF). The platform was established to strengthen academic and research networks across the region through the Endorsement of the ASEAN4TB Joint Statement on Tuberculosis Research in Southeast Asia.

Through the Endorsement of the ASEAN4TB Joint Statement on Tuberculosis Research in Southeast Asia, ASEAN4TB member institutions expressed their commitment to expanding cross-country research collaboration, strengthening the capacity of human resources and higher education institutions, promoting the development of evidence-based innovation, and enhancing the utilization of research findings to support TB control policies and programs across Southeast Asia.

As an initial implementation of this commitment, ASEAN4TB introduced four key research collaboration tracks that will guide the future direction of TB research in the region. ACHIEVE-TB (ASEAN Collaborative Hub for AI in Tuberculosis) focuses on the utilization of artificial intelligence and digital innovation to improve TB diagnosis and services; CATCH-TB (ASEAN Collaborative Action to Track and Capture Hidden TB) focuses on active TB case finding, particularly among hard-to-reach populations; ANTERA (ASEAN Alliance for Novel TB Treatment Regimens) focuses on the development of TB treatment regimens that are more effective, safer, and shorter; while ACE-TB (ASEAN Coalition for Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis) aims to improve the detection, diagnosis, and management of extrapulmonary TB.

As a member of the ASEAN4TB Advisory Board, Prof. Dr. dr. Erlina Burhan, MSc, Sp.P(K) emphasized the importance of the ASEAN4TB Consortium as a platform for strengthening collaborative networks across the region.

“This consortium, which was only established yesterday, is expected to serve as a platform for ASEAN countries to strengthen collaborative networks in order to realize the ASEAN4TB vision of One Region, One Goal: End TB,” said Prof. Erlina.

In addition to serving as a platform for strengthening regional commitment, the ASEAN4TB Symposium 2026 also served as a scientific forum showcasing the latest developments in tuberculosis research through oral presentation and e-poster presentation sessions. Dozens of researchers, academics, clinicians, and students from various countries presented their research on a wide range of topics, including diagnosis, treatment, epidemiology, public health, the application of digital technology and artificial intelligence, as well as other innovations that support the acceleration of TB elimination. The sessions provided a platform for knowledge sharing, strengthened scientific networks, and created opportunities for cross-institutional research collaboration across Southeast Asia. As stated by Prof. Nicholas Paton, MD, FRCP, a member of the ASEAN4TB Consortium, the symposium serves as an initiative and collaborative platform among ASEAN countries.

“I think the vision is to have the opportunity to bring together because in TB, it's been very much national programs and if you like international leadership is with WHO. At a research level there's not really been much regional integration and I think the idea behind this is to bring together ASEAN, possibly more broadly, to coordinate, discuss, and develop some meaningful collaborative research,” said Prof. Nicholas Paton, MD, FRCP.

With the spirit of "One Region, One Goal: End TB," ASEAN4TB is expected to serve as a collaborative platform that strengthens knowledge exchange, promotes innovation, and accelerates the development of evidence-based solutions to address tuberculosis challenges across the region. As Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Prof. Dr. dr. Anna Rozaliyani, M.Biomed., Sp.P(K) expressed her appreciation to all participants and delegates from various countries who took part in the ASEAN4TB Symposium 2026, while also conveying her hopes for the future of ASEAN4TB.

“On behalf of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, we would like to express our appreciation to all participants, delegates, and representatives from all countries. We hope that we can strengthen and broaden our collaborations. We are one of the founding stakeholders of AMSN ASEAN4TB. We also hope that all participants will continue this step because we have to move forward to achieve One Region, One Goal: End TB.” said Prof. Anna.

ABOUT ASEAN4TB

ASEAN4TB is a tuberculosis collaboration network in Southeast Asia initiated by the medical schools of the ASEAN Medical Schools Network (AMSN) and supported by the ASEAN Research Collaborative Fund (ARCF). Led by Universitas Indonesia, ASEAN4TB serves as a platform to strengthen academic networks, facilitate knowledge exchange, enhance capacity building, and promote collaboration in research and innovation to support tuberculosis elimination across Southeast Asia.

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