TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates visited Indonesia on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The man behind The Gates Foundation was welcomed by President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace. Prabowo greeted Gates in the palace courtyard before escorting him into the credentials room.
After a brief conversation and a photo session, Prabowo invited Gates to continue their discussion in his office. The two discussed a range of sustainable development initiatives, particularly in the areas of global health, nutrition, financial inclusion, and public digital infrastructure.
1. Monitoring the Nutritious Meals Program
Following the discussion at Merdeka Palace, President Prabowo took Gates to observe the implementation of the Nutritious Meals Program at Jati 03 Elementary School in Pulo Asem, Jakarta. Prabowo showed Gates the free nutritious meal portions still packed in lunch containers. He then invited the Microsoft founder to observe how students consumed the meals inside a classroom.
Each student had been given a meal container. Upon entering the classroom, they opened and immediately ate their food. At the classroom entrance, Prabowo appeared to explain the program’s execution to Gates, though their conversation was not audible.
2. Tuberculosis Vaccine Trials
One of the topics discussed during the meeting at the palace was the planned tuberculosis (TB) vaccine trials in Indonesia. Bill Gates, through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is currently funding TB vaccine research and trials, which are now in the clinical stage in several countries.
"He is developing a TB vaccine for global use, and Indonesia will be one of the trial sites. We know TB claims a significant number of lives here, nearly one hundred thousand annually," said Prabowo, as quoted by Antara on May 7, 2025.
Prabowo emphasized the government’s commitment to reducing TB-related deaths through various ongoing programs, including free health check-ups.
Bill Gates confirmed that two locations in Indonesia had been selected for the clinical trials, though he did not disclose the exact sites. He stated that the trials would support TB vaccine development for countries with high TB prevalence.
"We are conducting trials in Africa, India, and here (in Indonesia). We are very much looking forward to it," said Gates.
3. Rp2.6 trillion in Grant Funding
During his remarks, President Prabowo revealed that Bill Gates had provided Indonesia with grant funding totaling US$159 million, or around Rp2.6 trillion. The grants, given since 2009, have largely focused on the health sector.
Prabowo said that Rp1.3 trillion of the funding had been used to develop polio vaccines produced by Bio Farma. "Two billion doses are manufactured each year, and these are used by forty-two countries, reaching nine hundred and two million people," Prabowo said.
Rachel Caroline, Annisa Febiola, Eka Yudha, and Dede Leni contributed to the writing of this article.
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