The National Institute of Health Research and Development (, abbreviated as Balitbangkes) was a supporting unit of the Ministry of Health which is responsible for state research, development, and innovation in the field of health and medical sciences. The agency dissolved and liquidated into

National Research and Innovation Agency The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN, ) is a cabinet-level agency of the Indonesian government, formed in 2019. Originally a new agency attached to the Ministry of Research and Technology, which became the Ministry of Research and ...

(BRIN) on 31 December 2021 as part of BRIN state research activity integration plan.

History

Formation

Before Balitbangkes existed, the agency was preceded by four Health Laboratories under the Indonesian Department of Health formed in 1950-1960s, three were soon founded after the end of

Indonesian National Revolution The Indonesian National Revolution (), also known as the Indonesian War of Independence (, ), was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during A ...

: Institute for People's Food in

Bogor Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.

(researched human nutrition), Central Institute for Investigation and Eradication of Venereal Diseases in

Surabaya Surabaya is the capital city of East Java Provinces of Indonesia, province and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strai ...

(researched transmission and eradication of

sexually transmitted diseases A sexually transmitted infection (STI), also referred to as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the older term venereal disease (VD), is an infection that is spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, oral ...

and venereal diseases), and Tawangmangu Hortus Medicus in Karanganyar (researched traditional herbal medicines and remedies and collection of medicinal plants), and the last was 1969 founded National Research Institute of Department of Health. The National Research Institute of Department of Health was the direct preceding agency of the current Balitbangkes after consolidating three 1950s founded Health Laboratories and expanded it with additional laboratories that subsequently formed. By decree, the agency was founded by President

Suharto Suharto (8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician, and dictator, who was the second and longest serving president of Indonesia, serving from 1967 to 1998. His 32 years rule, cha ...

, on 26 August 1974 through issuance of Presidential Decision No. 45/1974, along with other ten research and development agencies founded by this Decision. However, at that time, the agency was still existed on paper and physically inexistent. After procuring enough resources and assets, the agency finally came into being on 12 December 1975 thru Ministry of Health Decree No. 114/1975 and named as ''Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kesehatan'' or colloquially abbreviated as Balitbangkes.

Role in COVID-19 Pandemic Situation in Indonesia

Balitbangkes play significant role in COVID-19 pandemic situation in Indonesia. Balitbangkes play roles in development measures and policies to control

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

, and surveilling local variants and

SARS-CoV-2 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the respiratory illness responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus previously had the Novel coronavirus, provisional nam ...

viral evolution in Indonesia thru

Whole Genome Sequencing Whole genome sequencing (WGS), also known as full genome sequencing or just genome sequencing, is the process of determining the entirety of the DNA sequence of an organism's genome at a single time. This entails sequencing all of an organism's ...

equipments owned by the agency. Balitbangkes and its child agencies also performed 24 ongoing nation-wide multidisciplinary COVID-19 observation studies across Indonesia.

Integration to BRIN and Dissolution

In response of formation of

as independent agency under the

President of Indonesia The president of the Republic of Indonesia () is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Indonesia. The president is the leader of the executive branch of the Indonesian government and the commander-in-chief of the ...

, the Ministry of Health rearranged their research and development activities which had been long exercised by its Balitbangkes. In the plan, announced on 23 September 2021, Balitbangkes will be transformed into Agency for Health Policies Development (Indonesian: ''Badan Kebijakan Pembangunan Kesehatan'', BKPK), a regulatory agency intended to provide only policies and standards making for state health activity, no longer doing research as the research part will be relinquished to BRIN. On 7 November 2021, the Ministry issued order to Balitbangkes and its child agencies to halt their activities per 31 December 2021 as unit under auspices of Ministry of Health, effectively started the dismantlement of Balitbangkes. In the order, Balitbangkes will split into three parts: one part (which is the most) relinquished to BRIN, one part to become BKPK, and the rest of the Balitbangkes part in regional level will be relinquished to local government where the Balitbangkes branch formerly existed for being transformed into local-government run public health laboratories for being integrated as part of state public health laboratories system. In 30 November 2021, BRIN announced that a research organization tentatively named Health and Nutrition Research Organization (Indonesian: ''Organisasi Riset Kesehatan dan Gizi'', ORKG), transformation of the previously from Balitbangkes of will be activated and operated. The successor of Balitbangkes, later named as Health Research Organization (Indonesian: ''Organisasi Riset Kesehatan'', OR Kesehatan) formed officially on 1 March 2022 and functional on 4 March 2022.

Fate of remnants of Balitbangkes

All research centers remnants of former Balitbangkes subsequently subsumed into Directorate General of Public Health of the Ministry of Health and converted into its units. Despite the integration to BRIN, some health research activities that not relinquished to BRIN still performed by Ministry of Health. Research in human

genome sequencing Whole genome sequencing (WGS), also known as full genome sequencing or just genome sequencing, is the process of determining the entirety of the DNA sequence of an organism's genome at a single time. This entails sequencing all of an organism's ...

and

biobank A biobank is a type of biorepository that stores biological samples (usually human) for use in research. Biobanks have become an important resource in medical research, supporting many types of contemporary research like genomics and personalized ...

biorepository A biorepository is a facility that collects, catalogs, and stores samples of biological material for laboratory research. Biorepositories collect and manage specimens from animals, plants, and other living organisms. Biorepositories store many dif ...

, and

bioinformatics Bioinformatics () is an interdisciplinary field of science that develops methods and Bioinformatics software, software tools for understanding biological data, especially when the data sets are large and complex. Bioinformatics uses biology, ...

development and management currently performed by Indonesian Institute for Biomedics and Human Genomics. Lab-based diagnostics, modelling, early warning, and fast response system development and utilization for disease surveillance and responding plagues and/or other health incidents performed thru Indonesian public health laboratories system, which absorbed all former Balitbangkes regional branches. Public health inspection and referral system development and counter-

bioterrorism Bioterrorism is terrorism involving the intentional release or dissemination of biological agents. These agents include bacteria, viruses, insects, fungi, and/or their toxins, and may be in a naturally occurring or a human-modified form, in mu ...

response development performed by Indonesian Institute for Health Biology. Research and maintenance of biorepository of

disease vectors In epidemiology, a disease vector is any living agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen such as a parasite or microbe, to another living organism. Agents regarded as vectors are mostly blood-sucking ( hematophagous) arthropods such ...

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

, and zoonotic agents, and research in

environmental health Environmental health is the branch of public health concerned with all aspects of the natural environment, natural and built environment affecting human health. To effectively control factors that may affect health, the requirements for a hea ...

and counter-CBRN response development performed by Indonesian Institute for Environmental Health Laboratory.

Structure

The Structure of Balitbangkes is as follows: # Office of the Head of Balitbangkes # Office of the Secretary of Balitbangkes #* Subdivision of General Administration Affairs # Center for Biomedical and Basic Medical Technologies Research and Development
Center No.1
#* Division of General Administration Affairs #** Subdivision of Programs and Cooperation #** Subdivision of Finance, Employment, and General Affairs #* Division of Biomedical Sciences #** Subdivision of Communicable Diseases #** Subdivision of Non-Communicable Diseases #* Division of Health Basic Technologies #** Subdivision of Biological-based Products #** Subdivision of Instruments and Diagnostic Products #* Bacteriology Laboratory #* BSL-3 Laboratory #* Immunology Laboratory #* Virology Laboratory #* Stem Cell Laboratory #* Nutrition and Food Laboratory #* Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory #* Parasitology Laboratory #* Testing Animal Laboratory # Center for Health Resources and Health Service Research and Development
Center No. 2
#* Subdivision of General Administration Affairs #* Division of Administration Development #** Subdivision of Development for Human Resources and Financing of Health Researches, Developments, and Assessments #* Division of Health Resources Development #** Subdivision of Health Resources Development #** Subdivision of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices #** Subdivision of Health Human Resource Development #* Division of Health Services Development #** Subdivision of Primary Health Services and Health Referral Services #** Subdivision of Traditional Health Services and Health Supporting Services # Center for Public Health Efforts Research and Development
Center No. 3
#* Division of Diseases Prevention and Control #** Subdivision of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health #** Subdivision of Communicable Diseases #* Division of Public Health #** Subdivision of Nutrition and Family Health #** Subdivision of Community Health #* Division of General Administration Affairs #** Subdivision of Finance, Employment, and General Affairs #** Subdivision of Programs and Cooperation # Center for Humanities and Health Management Research and Development
Center No. 4
#* Division of Health Humanities #** Subdivision of Law and Ethics #** Subdivision of Social and Cultural Affairs #* Division of Health Management #** Subdivision of Funding #** Subdivision of Policy Analysis #* Division of General Administration Affairs #** Subdivision of Finance, Employment, and General Affairs #** Subdivision of Programs and Cooperation # Indonesian Center for Research and Development of Disease Vectors and Reservoirs #* Subdivision of General Administration Affairs #* Division of Administration Development #** Subdivision of Development for Human Resources and Financing of Health Researches, Developments, and Assessments #* Division of Programs, Cooperation, and Information Networking #** Subdivision of Programs and Evaluation of Researches, Developments, and Assessments Activities #** Subdivision of Cooperation and Networking #* Division of Experimental Services and Equipment #** Subdivision of Technical Support #** Subdivision of Research and Development Equipment #* Virology Laboratory #* Bacteriology Laboratory #* Parasitology Laboratory #* Disease Vectors Reference Collection Laboratory #* Disease Reservoirs Reference Collection Laboratory #* Histopathology Laboratory #* Insecticide Testing Laboratory #* Botanical Pesticide Testing Laboratory #* Health Behavior and Health Promotion, Epidemiology, GIS, and Biostatistical Laboratory #* Environmental Laboratory #* Testing Animal Laboratory #* Hybridoma Technology Laboratory #* Insectarium and Biocontrol Laboratory # Indonesian Center for Research and Development of Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine #* Division of General Administration Affairs #** Subdivision of General Affairs #** Subdivision of Finance #* Division of Programs, Cooperation, and Information Networking #** Subdivision of Programs and Evaluation #** Subdivision of Cooperation and Information Networking #* Division of Experimental Services and Equipment #** Subdivision of Technical Support #** Subdivision of Research and Development Equipment #* Plant Systematic Laboratory #* Galenic Formulation Laboratory #* Phytochemistry Laboratory #* Formulation Laboratory #* Microbiology Laboratory #* Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory #* Biomolecular Laboratory #*

Jamu Jamu ( Javanese: ) is a traditional medicine from Indonesia. It is predominantly a herbal medicine made from natural materials, such as roots, bark, flowers, seeds, leaves and fruits. Materials acquired from animals, such as honey, royal jell ...

Scientification Clinic Laboratory #* Postharvest Laboratory #* Pest and Plant Disease Control Laboratory #* Pharmacology Laboratory #* Medicinal Plants Cultivation Laboratory # Class I Center for Health Research and Development

Magelang Magelang () is one of six cities in Central Java, the Central Java Province of Indonesia that are administratively independent of the regencies in which they lie geographically. Each of these cities is governed by a mayor rather than a Subdivi ...

(Nutrition Science) # Class I Center for Health Research and Development

Donggala Donggala Regency is a Regency (Indonesia), regency in the Central Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. It lies between 0° 30" north and 2°20" south latitude, and between 119° 45°" and 121° 45" east longitude, and covers a land area of 5,126.59&nbs ...

(

Schistosomiasis Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever, bilharzia, and Katayama fever is a neglected tropical helminthiasis, disease caused by parasitism, parasitic Schistosoma, flatworms called schistosomes. It affects both humans and animals. It affects ...

Investigation and Control) # Class I Center for Health Research and Development

Banjarnegara Banjarnegara is a town in Central Java, Indonesia and the seat of Banjarnegara Regency. It is 55 km from the Dieng Plateau region and a centre for ceramic arts. Climate Banjarnegara has a tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest c ...

(

Leptospirosis Leptospirosis is a blood infection caused by the bacterium ''Leptospira'' that can infect humans, dogs, rodents and many other wild and domesticated animals. Signs and symptoms can range from none to mild (headaches, Myalgia, muscle pains, a ...

Investigation and Control) # Class II Center for Health Research and Development Tanah Bumbu (

Fasciolopsis ''Fasciolopsis'' () is a genus of trematodes. They are also known as giant intestinal flukes. Only one species is recognised: ''Fasciolopsis buski''. It is a notable parasite of medical importance in humans and veterinary importance in pigs. I ...

Investigation and Control) # Class II Center for Health Research and Development Papua (

Leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

Investigation and Control) # Class II Center for Health Research and Development

Baturaja Baturaja is a town and the administrative capital of Ogan Komering Ulu Regency in South Sumatra, Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and P ...

(

Filariasis Filariasis is a filarial infection caused by parasitic nematodes (roundworms) spread by different vectors. They are included in the list of neglected tropical diseases. The most common type is lymphatic filariasis caused by three species o ...

Investigation and Control) # Class II Center for Health Research and Development

Aceh Aceh ( , ; , Jawi script, Jawoë: ; Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, Old Spelling: ''Atjeh'') is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. It is located on the northern end of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capit ...

(

Tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

Investigation and Control) # Pangandaran Malaria Research Station,

Pangandaran Pangandaran is a town and district of Pangandaran Regency within the province of West Java, Indonesia. It is located on the southern coast of the island of Java. A well-known surfing beach has made Pangandaran a popular tourist destination. His ...

# Waikabubak Arbovirosis Research Station,

Waikabubak Waikabubak is a town in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia and it is the capital of West Sumba Regency. Waikabubak is the second largest town on Sumba island after Waingapu; it had a population of 33,064 at the 2020 Census, and the official ...

East Nusa Tenggara East Nusa Tenggara (; ) is the southernmost province of Indonesia. It comprises the eastern portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, facing the Indian Ocean in the south and the Flores Sea in the north, with a total land area of 47,238.07 km2. It cons ...

References

{{Authority control Science and technology in Indonesia Medical and health organizations based in Indonesia Government agencies of Indonesia Research institutes in Indonesia 1975 establishments in Indonesia 2021 disestablishments in Indonesia COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia