FK-KMK UGM. The Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK) of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held the Wastewater Surveillance for Pandemic Prevention kick-off meeting at Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta on Monday (Jan, 20). This event aimed to discuss the development of a wastewater surveillance system for early detection of infectious diseases and pandemic prevention.
The three-day event, held from January 20-22, 2025, brought together experts and researchers from various parts of the world to discuss scientific innovations in early pandemic detection through wastewater surveillance systems. This meeting not only served as a platform for knowledge exchange but also marked the beginning of international collaboration to strengthen global preparedness for future pandemic threats.
The Dean of FK-KMK UGM, Prof. Dr. Yodi Mahendradhata, M.Sc., Ph.D., FRSPH, in his opening speech, emphasized the importance of scientific innovation in supporting global health policies.
“To advance pandemic prevention, we must understand that pandemics are not just medical issues but also have political aspects that need to be considered,” he stated.
He also highlighted the political and social challenges that often hinder pandemic prevention efforts and encouraged cross-disciplinary and cross-national collaboration to address these issues.
Dr. Michael Owusu, the principal investigator of the Wastewater Surveillance for Pandemic Prevention (WASSP) Project at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, outlined the challenges and opportunities in implementing this project.
“Our main challenges include mapping out new potential sites for this project, obtaining more detailed syndromic data, and building support from communities and local governments,” he explained.
He also mentioned difficulties in procuring new reagents required for this research, which demands time and intensive coordination with local health services.
Meanwhile, Dr. Placide Mbala-Kingebeni from the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) shared his experience in developing biomedical research capabilities for pandemic preparedness.
“We are committed to strengthening research capacity in the DRC, including through international collaborations like this. Wastewater surveillance is a highly promising tool for early pathogen detection, including pandemic-causing viruses,” he stated.
Dr. Mbala-Kingebeni also emphasized the importance of education and training for young researchers in Africa to support the sustainability of such projects.
In Indonesia, wastewater surveillance has shown great potential in early COVID-19 detection. A research team from the Center for Child Health Studies (PKKA-PRO) FK-KMK UGM, led by Prof. Dr. Indah Kartika Murni, M.Kes., Sp.A(K)., Ph.D., and Dr. Vicka Oktaria, conducted a collaborative study with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) Australia from 2021-2022. Their findings revealed that wastewater surveillance could detect a rise in COVID-19 cases up to two weeks earlier than individual-based surveillance methods.
“Household wastewater contains fragments of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that are no longer infectious but provide valuable information about virus transmission in the community,” explained Prof. Murni.
This method has previously been used in several developed countries, such as the United States and the Netherlands, as a complement to traditional individual surveillance. In Indonesia, wastewater surveillance has also been used to detect polio outbreaks. This success has driven further research to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of implementing wastewater surveillance for early outbreak detection.
“We hope this method can be widely adopted in Indonesia and other countries, especially those with limited resources,” added Dr. Oktaria.
The meeting not only discussed progress to date, but also outlined concrete steps for the implementation and testing of methods for wastewater surveillance for pandemic prevention in various countries. Participants agreed that international collaboration, government support, and community involvement are key to the project’s success. Discussions focused on developing standard protocols for sample collection, data analysis, and wastewater surveillance reporting.
Wastewater surveillance is expected to become one of the main pillars in the global pandemic prevention system. This innovation not only promises faster and more accurate early detection but also reduces costs and the burden on healthcare systems.
As Prof. Yodi stated, “We can no longer rely solely on conventional approaches. Innovations like wastewater surveillance are the future of pandemic prevention.”
The event concluded with a strong commitment from all parties to continue working together in developing and implementing wastewater surveillance as a pandemic prevention tool. With a spirit of collaboration and innovation, the world is ready to face future global health challenges.
This meeting represents a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). (Contributor: Isroq/ Editor : Rizka Dinari, Tabbasum Iqbal, Rooney Fong/ Photo : PKKA-PRO).
