Genome data sharing to address future pandemic potentials

SERAMBINEWS.COM, JAKARTA, - When the first COVID-19 patient was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020, experts used several health-related terms, such as genome sequencing, while discussing the matter, (30/04/2022)

The general public became more familiar with the term genome sequencing following the emergence of the COVID-19 variants, comprising Delta and Omicron and its sub-variants, such as BA.2.

Genome sequencing is conducted to know whether mutation occurs in the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) can be conducted to determine the nucleic acid sequence of a genome. On account of the importance of WGS, the Health Ministry recently began distributing its machine to several laboratories in Indonesia.

In COVID-19 handling, genome sequencing produces the SARS-CoV-2 virus genome data to obtain the characteristics of the virus.

This data is also beneficial for the development of medicines and vaccines in the global handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The importance of genome data in the health sector also became one of the factors that drove Indonesia to encourage strengthening the genome sequence data sharing global platform during the G20 Presidency.

G20 is an international forum made up of 19 nations that work together to handle various major issues, with Indonesia chairing this year's forum.

This strengthening measure was one of the matters under discussion pertaining to reformation of the global health architecture.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin highlighted the importance of the sequence data sharing platform being accessible to all parties on account of the fact that quick response is necessary to handle the pandemic.

Improving the capacity to handle potential pandemics in future is necessary to effectively and quickly prevent, detect, and respond to various existing issues.

Sadikin noted that the importance of strengthening the genome sequence data sharing platform, among others, is based on the experience when COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China.

The data from genome sequencing uploaded during the period can then be accessed by researchers across the world, thereby contributing to the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

The SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence allows researchers across the world to further analyze the virus and know in detail how the virus can cause a disease.

In one of the G20 events in February, Sadikin noted that the data sharing platform should be free from geopolitical and economic interests and instead be focused on the humanitarian goal of saving lives while confronting the pandemic potential in future.