Brics should prepare for any future pandemics: S African Health Minister

The BRICS nations should cooperate to prepare for any future pandemics, South African Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla has said, emphasising that the period of COVID-19 has highlighted weaknesses in health systems.

Addressing a seminar titled "Pandemic Preparedness Prevention and Response for Health Security: Closing the Gap in Preparation for Future Pandemics" that was organised by the BRICS Business Council SA Chapter on the sidelines of the 15th Brics Summit hosted this week, Phaahla said that the Covid-19 outbreak has caught the world off-guard in terms of preparedness.

The BRICS Business Council SA Chapter and other stakeholders involved have created this platform to discuss pandemic preparedness, prevention, and response for health security. This is borne out of the devastating experience the world went through with the outbreak of COVID-19, said Phaahla during the seminar that was attended by his counterparts from the BRICS partners, representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and a number of representatives from Africa and Europe.

There is no dispute that the Covid-19 outbreak has caught the world off-guard in terms of preparedness and caused major economic shock and abnormalised business operations and brought the new normal, he said on Wednesday.

He emphasised that the BRICS nations should cooperate to prepare for any future pandemics.

Phaahla said the experience during the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted weaknesses in health systems while at the same time showing that international collaboration and partnerships offered important benefits for all of humankind.

He emphasised that no health emergency was over until authorities ensured that everyone was safe.

So, it is imperative that we are fully prepared to prevent and rapidly respond to any future global pandemic, Phaahla said as he referred to South Africa, as in many low- and middle-income countries, being challenged by inadequate expertise and capacity in epidemiology and surveillance, health economics, governance and community participation in times of pandemic or health emergencies.

That is why WHO supported us with a big team of field epidemiologists and surveillance specialists to enhance our capacity for early detection, tracing and management of cases, he said.

He said that President Cyril Ramaphosa had made Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention, and Response in South Africa the 10th pillar for strengthening the health system in the country during the Presidential Health Summit in May 2023.

It is a commitment from the highest office, seeking to close the gap and to ensure that we are fully prepared for any future pandemics," Phaahla said.

We are ready to institute the BRICS Integrated Early Warning Systems to prevent mass infectious disease risks. This is aimed at providing early warnings and effective response measures to prevent any possible local and cross-border spread of infectious diseases and minimize the occurrence of pandemics, he said.

Phaahla said this was a principled decision by the BRICS partners to support the country's existing systems while enhancing a collaborating platform to facilitate the sharing of the necessary information.

The minister said it was important to continue support to the BRICS Virtual Vaccine Research and Development Centre.

In addition, we must recognise the excellent scientific potential existing in our countries and we should utilise it to contribute to the advancement of medical science, improve public health, and foster scientific cooperation among BRICS nations.

The manufacturing, information, and resource sharing should be strengthened among BRICS nations in preparation for any future pandemics coming our way, he said.

Phaahla said that with the ongoing development of local manufacturing capacity and capabilities, local pharmaceutical companies are set to play a pivotal role in the production and supply of affordable medicines for the domestic market and the rest of Africa.

Although South Africa is the largest manufacturer and supplier of pharmaceuticals in sub-Saharan Africa, it is highly reliant on imported products, which account for more than two-thirds of pharmaceutical sales, he said.

We stand resolute to strengthen cooperation and coordination to jointly address global health risks that result in pandemics, Phaahla concluded.