On 22–23 July 2025, the Surviving, Adapting, Thriving in the Next Quarter seminar was held at the National Institutes of Health, Malaysia, in conjunction with the 25th Annual Workshop of the Regional Network on Schistosomiasis and Other Helminth Zoonoses (RNAS). The two-day event brought together leading researchers, policymakers, and public health professionals from across Asia to exchange the latest developments in parasitology, with a special focus on schistosomiasis and other neglected tropical diseases affecting the region. EHI Scientific Advisor Dr. Triwibowo Ambar Garjito was among the invited speakers, delivering a presentation titled “Progress Report and Strategy towards Schistosomiasis Elimination in Indonesia.” His talk highlighted the progress made in national elimination efforts, while underscoring the need for sustained surveillance, innovative diagnostic approaches, and regional cooperation to achieve long-term success.
Discussions throughout the seminar covered country reports, technological innovations such as artificial intelligence and environmental DNA (eDNA), and strategies for disease elimination. The event successfully fulfilled its goal as a collaborative platform for strengthening research capacity, enhancing surveillance systems, and expanding cross-border partnerships in the fight against schistosomiasis and other neglected tropical diseases in Southeast Asia and beyond. EHI believes that active participation in such forums is key to advancing regional health security and achieving sustainable disease elimination.
