Boost research to fight TB, HIV, Malaria: BRICS

BRICS nations today agreed to boost research to fight diseases like TB, HIV and Malaria and take steps to reduce premature mortality, while acknowledging the need for a greater use of information and technology in health services to promote cost-effective treatment.
During the sixth two-day BRICS Health Ministers' meet that concluded today, they adopted the Delhi Communique as part of which member-nations agreed to a TB cooperation plan, a BRICS network on TB research and developing an R&D consortium on TB, HIV and Malaria.
The 25-point communique lays emphasis on research and development of medicines and diagnostic tools, reduction in premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases by one-third by 2030 as per Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Target and effective health surveillance.

The member nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - also agreed to take measures to reduce maternal mortality, infant mortality, neo-natal mortality, under-5 mortality and congenital disorders with the aim of achieving the unfinished agenda of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the relevant SDGs.
They also acknowledged the need for greater use of information and communications technology in health services to promote cost-effective treatment.
Addressing the BRICS countries, Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda appealed to the delegates to sign an MoU on the regulatory working group mooted during BRICS workshop on drugs and medical devices in Goa in November 2016.

"Let us move forward by agreeing to sign the MoU and constituting a regulatory working group, to work on mutual recognition, sharing of information and accelerated regulatory approvals in case of international and national health emergencies and promotion of innovation and R&D," Nadda said.
The communique reiterated the support for development of a fully functional WHO Global Observatory on Health R&D.
Dmitry Kostennikov, Deputy Minister of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, told PTI, "In Russia, we have been able to tackle infectious diseases but we need to look more urgently at NCDs as there is rise in TB cases. So, it is important for us to establish co-operation among BRICS nations on that front so we can find some solutions.