Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) officially received a delegation from the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD) on Tuesday (07/07/2026). The meeting, which took place in the Rector's Audience Room, serves as an important milestone for both institutions to design international collaborative strategies in the development of cutting-edge health technologies.
The main focus of the discussion was the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate malaria detection systems. This technology is expected to provide accurate, real-time diagnostic results, enabling more effective health interventions in endemic areas to support the national malaria elimination program.
USU's Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Collaboration, Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T., emphasized that this partnership holds great potential for further development. He highlighted the importance of aligning the research agenda with government programs, which could later be supported through various joint funding schemes, including the use of LPDP funds.
Echoing this sentiment, the Director of the Global Health Center at NIPD, Dr. Shan Lyu, acknowledged that USU's strategic position makes it a crucial research partner. Although malaria cases in Sumatra are relatively lower compared to Eastern Indonesia, the innovations developed through this collaboration are projected to be applied across all corners of the country still struggling against endemic malaria.
This strategic move marks the strengthening of USU's international research network. By integrating technological expertise from NIPD and local research capacity, both parties are optimistic about providing concrete solutions to reduce transmission rates while improving the quality of early detection systems for infectious diseases in Indonesia.
