India Highlights Collaboration With BRICS On Health Initiatives

Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra on Wednesday underlined the importance of India's collaboration within BRICS countries in nuclear medicine and radio-pharmaceutical science and fostering the development and commercialisation of advanced digital solutions.

Chandra addressed the BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting on the sidelines of the 77th World Health Assembly of WHO in Geneva, a health ministry statement said.

Addressing the gathering, health secretary said, 'India has demonstrated active engagement in BRICS health track initiatives, promoting collaborative endeavours to advance joint health agendas aimed at fortifying health systems across BRICS nations, thereby addressing critical global health challenges'.

He stated that during its presidency, India acknowledged the need for a BRICS integrated early warning system for the prevention of mass infectious risks in accordance with the international health regulation and enhancing focus on the 'One Health' approach for disease surveillance, the statement said.

"India acknowledges the importance of advancing collaboration within BRICS countries in nuclear medicine and radio-pharmaceutical science, with a particular emphasis on strengthening the radio-pharmaceutical supply chain and enhancing isotopes production, alongside fostering the development and commercialisation of advanced digital solutions," Chandra said.

He highlighted that the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre was virtually launched during India's presidency, and designated the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology as the coordinating agency for BRICS vaccine and research and development centre activities.

"ICMR along with NIV and a network of other partner institutes is embarking on phase-3 clinical trials of recombinant dengue vaccine. Additionally, research and trials for locally endemic diseases such as Kyasanur Forest Disease, Nipah virus, human papillomavirus and Mycobacteriaum Tuberculosis Vaccine and influenza has also been extended to ICMR and other partners," the health secretary said.

Noting that India aligns with the agenda of the upcoming BRICS conference on antimicrobial resistance as a global challenge to BRICS national health and well-being, Chandra said, "India's national action plan on AMR, launched in 2017, focuses on cross-sectoral collaboration and 'One Health' approach, and is in alignment with the objectives outlined in the World Health Organization's Global Action Plan."

India recognises AMR as a global concern and advocates for fostering collaboration among BRICS nations to devise and execute protocols, projects and platforms aimed at addressing AMR through comprehensive measures such as data analysis, laboratory quality control, epidemiological assessment, and training initiatives, he said.

BRICS, originally a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.