BRICS nations to collaborate in health sector

Collaboration in the field of health care is one of the priorities to strengthen the bonds among the BRICS nations, an Indian government official said Monday. 'We have declared health collaboration as a priority to collectively enhance our partnerships among each other and other countries we are engaged with through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms,' said Additional Secretary, Health, C.K. Mishra. Speaking after the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a bulletin devoted to the theme of 'BRICS and Global Health' - a joint initiative of WHO Representatives in BRICS countries, he noted that the production of high-quality, affordable medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other health technologies by the BRICS is improving access in resource-poor countries. (Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2014 - BJP Manifesto promises universally affordable healthcare)

'In the endeavour to address the double burden of disease we face due to combination of rapid emergence of noncommunicable and persistence of communicable diseases, we are seeking to reform our health systems, advance universal health coverage and focus on social determinants of health,' Mishra said. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (the countries known as the 'BRICS') involve nearly 40 percent of the world's population. After having achieved remarkable economic growth over the last two decades, they have taken important steps towards improving their health systems and the health of their citizens. (Read: President Pranab Mukherjee's agenda for a healthier India)

Outlining the importance of the initiative, WHO Representative to India Nata Menabde said BRICS has a unique capacity to influence health at global level. 'It is well understood that 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. This will significantly contribute to the improvement of global health indicators,' Menabde said. (Read: Online medical information - bane or boon for the healthcare system?)

Source: IANS

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Entities 0 Name: BRICS Count: 7 1 Name: India Count: 2 2 Name: Brazil Count: 1 3 Name: Pranab Mukherjee Count: 1 4 Name: South Africa Count: 1 5 Name: Global Health Count: 1 6 Name: Lok Sabha Count: 1 7 Name: BJP Count: 1 8 Name: C.K. Mishra Count: 1 9 Name: India Nata Menabde Count: 1 10 Name: Health Count: 1 11 Name: World Health Organisation Count: 1 12 Name: Mishra Count: 1 13 Name: IANS Count: 1 14 Name: China Count: 1 15 Name: Russia Count: 1 16 Name: Menabde Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1lSooe3 Title: Live Q&A, 26 June: making health systems work in poor countries Description: On Tuesday 24 June the International Development Committee begins an inquiry into health system strengthening, and if the World Health Organisation (WHO) is to be believed, this couldn't come soon enough. According to WHO, the lack of strong healthcare infrastructure in parts of the developing world is currently one of the biggest barriers to increasing essential healthcare access.