His Excellency the Hon’ble Minister for Health and Dr. Florian Marks, the Deputy Director General of IVI’s Epidemiology, Public Health and Impact (EPIC) unit, jointly launched the Bhutan IVI Collaborating Center (BICC).

His Excellency conveyed that the launch of the BICC is a landmark event that reflects Bhutan’s deepening commitment to advancing vaccine research, strengthening health security, and fostering meaningful international partnerships.

This Collaborating Center is the outcome of a long-standing and trusted relationship between the Ministry of Health, the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB), and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), at Seoul, Republic of Korea.

The BICC will serve as a dedicated institutional platform for collaborative vaccine research, capacity building, scientific exchange, and regional cooperation. The Center which is anchored within KGUMSB, will bring together researchers, academicians, and policymakers to address emerging health threats and strengthen our pandemic preparedness systems.