Background

In recent years, Southeast Asia has faced several major disease outbreaks, from bird flu to SARS and COVID-19. While vaccines have helped protect many people, some communities still don’t get the protection they need, especially those in remote or under-resourced areas. 

Right now, it’s hard to know exactly how much immunity exists in different parts of Indonesia. To fix that, researchers are using a method called sero-surveillance, which looks at antibodies in the blood to understand who has been exposed to disease or protected by vaccines. This approach has already been used successfully in countries like Vietnam with support from OUCRU. Now, OUCRU Indonesia is taking steps to build a similar system across the country. 

Objectives

• Track immunity levels in the population using leftover blood samples from hospitals. 
• Identify gaps in vaccine protection to better inform public health decisions. 

• Create a national blood sample library (biobank) that can support future health research. 

• Improve early warning systems for infectious disease outbreaks in Indonesia and the region. 

Methods

The study collects leftover blood samples—called residual serum—from patients who have routine blood tests at hospitals. These samples, which would otherwise be discarded, are tested to look for antibodies that show whether someone has been exposed to or protected against certain diseases. The research is being carried out in phases across 15 hospitals in Indonesia, covering people aged 0–69. By using existing healthcare visits, the study provides a cost-effective and ethical way to monitor immunity in the population without requiring additional blood draws. 

This work will help protect people across Indonesia, especially those in vulnerable communities—and strengthen the country’s ability to respond quickly to new health threats. 

Status

Enrollment is ongoing at multiple hospitals across Indonesia.