The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition (RECFON) had the honour of receiving a visit from the Secretary of Education of the Republic of the Philippines, who also serves as the President of the SEAMEO Council, H.E. Mr Juan Edgardo Angara. The visit formed part of his official agenda during his stay in Indonesia.
Held at the SEAMEO RECFON building in Salemba, the visit commenced with a warm welcome from the director – Dr Herqutanto, board of directors, managers and staff of SEAMEO RECFON. Also in attendance were the Secretary General of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia, Madam Suharti, and the Director of the SEAMEO Secretariat, Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, along with delegates from the Philippine Department of Education, Embassy of the Republic of Philippines, and Universitas Indonesia.
The visit began with a brief explanation of the history of SEAMEO RECFON. It was shared that since its restructuring in 2010, the centre has grown into a regional centre of excellence in food and nutrition. At that time, the SEAMEO Council president was also from the Philippine Department of Education which highlighted the long-standing bond between SEAMEO RECFON and the Department of Education Philippines.
A guided tour of the laboratories was the main highlight of the visit, beginning with the Molecular Laboratory, where a demonstration was underway showing the sample preparation process for qPCR analysis to detect hookworm infections in six-month-old infants. The explanation was delivered by the Technical Manager, Ms Dwi Yanti, who highlighted the significance of this technology in detecting parasitic infections at an early stage to support child nutrition and health programs. The tour also showcased the qPCR machine, which is capable of identifying parasite DNA even in minute quantities.
The next stop was the Biochemistry Laboratory, accredited under ISO/IEC 17025:2017, which focuses on analysing micronutrient status and inflammatory biomarkers in blood samples. A key feature of this segment was a demonstration of the advanced Quansys Q-Plex™ 7-Plex Human Micronutrient Assay, which can measure seven essential biomarkers simultaneously using only a small volume of blood. This technology makes SEAMEO RECFON the only laboratory in Indonesia with validated capacity for such testing.
The visit continued to the anthropometry and dietary laboratory, introduced by the Laboratory Quality Manager, Dr Umi Fahmida who noted that SEAMEO RECFON’s anthropometric tools are regarded as the gold standard in national nutrition surveys conducted by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). It also supports flagship programs of the center implemented in schools, workplaces, and communities. In the area of dietary research, SEAMEO RECFON is well known for its contribution to developing local-specific food-based recommendations, which have been adopted by the Ministry of Health and the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) as part of Indonesia’s national stunting reduction efforts.
To conclude the visit, guests were invited to explore the exhibition booths showcasing the work of seven SEAMEO Centres located in Indonesia. In this area, delegates were also offered the opportunity to experience body composition analysis service using TANITA Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, which quickly and non-invasively measures the fat mass, muscle mass, and visceral fat levels.
This visit by the President of the SEAMEO Council was a momentous occasion for SEAMEO RECFON. Beyond reinforcing the historic ties between SEAMEO RECFON and the Philippine Department of Education, it also opened doors to broader collaborative opportunities among SEAMEO member countries in the fields of nutrition, health, and education. SEAMEO RECFON hopes this visit marks the beginning of even closer cooperation towards building a healthier and more competitive Southeast Asian community.
This news was broadcasted by
SEAMEO RECFON
Knowledge Management and Policy Support Unit
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Website: www.seameo-recfon.org
Email: information@seameo-recfon.org
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