Brazilian Health Minister Alexandre
Padilha said Monday he and his counterparts from Russia, India, China and South
Africa will discuss ways to deepen cooperation among BRICS members at an
upcoming ministerial meeting in Beijing.
The theme of the BRICS Health Ministerial Meeting is expected to include
promoting innovation and access to affordable medical products, vaccines and
other health technologies, in support of reaching the Millennium Development
Goals and addressing other public health challenges.
Padilha said before his departure for Beijing for the meeting on Monday that
the ministers also hope the gathering could help set up a number of
institutions to produce drugs to treat diseases of global concern, such as
malaria and HIV/AIDS.
"We may build a series of institutions that can contribute to the
incorporation of technology assessment in health. It is essential that these
countries have a network at universities to help their governments to determine
which products should be incorporated into national health systems of these
countries," he said.
Padilha also said it was important for the BRICS members to coordinate their
moves within the context of the World Health Organization (WHO).
"We want to have a coordinated approach to discuss the WHO reform,
establishing the role of these countries in the WHO leadership and strengthening
its regional centers," the minister said.
