Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre (SIDC) to be home to Sarawak’s first BSL-3 laboratory
The Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre (SIDC), a subsidiary of the Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC), represents a pivotal investment by the Sarawak government to strengthen its public health infrastructure and long-term pandemic preparedness.
The centre was conceptualized in response to the COVID-19 crisis, with the new facility strategically located in Kota Samarahan, adjacent to the Sarawak Heart Centre.
This location facilitates collaboration and provides the necessary space – approximately 40 acres (16 hectares) – to potentially house a 1,000-bed field hospital during severe outbreaks, ensuring rapid scale-up capability.
Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre function & facilities
The primary function of the SIDC is to act as a world-class biomedical research and development hub for Sarawak.
The cornerstone of the facility is Sarawak’s first Biosafety Level 3 (BSL – 3) laboratory, being the second of such facility on Borneo island with the first being owned by University Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
This critical facility is essential for safely conducting high-level research, diagnostics, and experiments involving highly infectious pathogens. BSL-3 laboratories are used to study infectious agents or toxins that may be transmitted through the air and cause potentially lethal infections.
With a BSL – 3, researchers perform all experiments in a biosafety cabinet as such laboratories are designed to be easily decontaminated.
Complementing the BSL-3 lab, the centre is also equipped with a Laboratory Diagnostic Unit focusing on innovative, cost-effective diagnostics, and a Drug Discovery Unit aimed at developing novel therapeutics and treatments, including vaccines.
Among the buildings also constructed at the SIDC are an administrative block, multipurpose hall, and cafeteria.
The urgent need for the SIDC stems directly from the realisation that Sarawak must possess the in-house capability to manage infectious disease threats autonomously. The centre’s research mandate encompasses not only emerging global threats but also diseases endemic to the region, such as rabies, dengue, malaria, and tuberculosis.
By focusing on local epidemiological data and endemic diseases, SIDC ensures that solutions are specifically tailored to the state’s population and environment, enhancing the effectiveness of disease surveillance and monitoring.
The development plan also includes provisions for a future Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing facility. This commercial component is intended to complete the pipeline from initial discovery and clinical trials to actual production of drugs and vaccines, a vital step in achieving self-sufficiency in medical countermeasures.
Construction cost
Financially, the Sarawak government initially committed RM200 million for the construction of the centre.
Construction has been phased, with recent allocations, such as the RM50 million for continued construction and RM22 million for operations announced in the Supply (2026) Bill 2025.
The SIDC is currently targeted for full completion by late 2026, although administrative and research operations began in a limited capacity in February 2024.
Collaborations with other agencies
Ultimately, SIDC strategically elevates Sarawak onto the international stage of medical research.
By establishing high-impact collaborations with world-renowned institutions – including Oxford University, Imperial College London, and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute – the centre is committed to scientific excellence and the advancement of precision medicine.
Its core mission is to enable and drive data-driven infectious disease management, safeguarding public health and delivering significant long-term socio-economic returns for Sarawak with the centre now working with Quantoom Biosciences and EnsiliTech to produce Sarawak’s very first home grown vaccine.
To learn more about SIDC, visit its official site.
Article sources: SIDC Official Website, Sarawak Tribune, DayakDaily, Borneo Post, BDC Sarawak
