GENEVA— The World Health Organization recently published the latest issue of its monthly bulletin, which was devoted to the theme of “BRICS and Global Health.” The June 2014 bulletin is a joint initiative of WHO representatives in BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
After having successfully promoted efforts to boost economic growth in the region over the past two decades, BRICS nations have improved their own health systems and the health of their citizens. The people living in these countries account for around 40 percent of the global population. The BRICS area is now producing high-quality and affordable medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other health technologies that strengthen healthcare in poorer areas of the world. BRICS nations have also identified the most urgent issues within their separate agendas and hope to form clear initiatives to address them.
C. K. Mishra, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India, stated that collaboration in healthcare is a “priority to collectively enhance our partnerships among each other and other countries we are engaged with through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms.”
In addition to improving healthcare access in resource-poor countries, the BRICS region is planning to undertake projects concerning public health. Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO’s South-East Asia Region, noted that South-South and triangular cooperation will be key components of the projects.
The South-South cooperation is between countries of the Global South – Latin America, Africa and developing Asia. This alliance, which can range from bilateral to interregional, could apply to various spheres: political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical. Poor and developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise and other resources to meet the development goals in their area. The triangular cooperation normally involves a traditional donor from the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD, an emerging donor from the Global South, and a beneficiary third world country. In the past, emerging donors have included Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.
The world has been watching the impressive economic progress of BRICS countries for a while, but it is also beginning to recognize the growing influence of their “exemplary and innovative public health programs and policies,” which are transforming global healthcare practices. Key contributions to global health that came from BRICS countries include affordable generic drugs to manage HIV and TB, different health service delivery systems and innovative diagnostic tools. The BRICS region has also produced various vaccines for the global market – influenza, rotavirus, pneumococcal conjugate, and rabies (Brazil); brucellosis, diphtheria, tetanus, tularemia, varicella, tularemia, mumps, and hepatitis for children and adults (Russia); pandemic influenza, seasonal influenza, typhoid conjugate, and rubella (India); anthrax, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, hepatitis A, influenza H1N1, tick-borne encephalitis, and tracheitis (China), and hepatitis B (South Africa).
Nata Menabde, WHO Representative to India, added that the “proper implementation of policies and timely delivery of concrete results can help in uplifting the health and well being of millions of citizens in the BRICS countries.” The BRICS region is in a unique position to improve global health indicators and influence the quality of life around the world.
– Kristy Liao
Sources: Economic Times, Pharmabiz, Russia & India Report, UNDP, World Health Organization, World Bank
Photo: Bric Partner