BRICS Cooperation in Health and Medicine

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the BRICS group has undertaken a number of collaborative efforts in the health sector, particularly in the areas of health innovation, pandemic preparedness, vaccine development, and medical research. In this regard, formal initiatives have been taken within the group, and the role of individual Member States in shaping global health policy has been defined.

What is the BRICS group?

BRICS is an international group of major emerging economies, initially consisting of five member countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

In 2024, the BRICS group expanded by welcoming five new countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This marked a significant shift in the geopolitical landscape, as BRICS now includes a broader range of emerging economies from different regions of the world.

As the group's influence grows, so does its role in tackling global challenges, with health and medicine emerging as a key area of focus.

BRICS cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic

The BRICS Health Ministers from Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa met virtually on 28 July 2021 at the XI BRICS Health Ministers Meeting chaired by the Republic of India under the theme “BRICS Requital to COVID-19: Towards a Digitalised Holistic Framework for Pandemic Preparedness.”

At this meeting, the Ministers recognised the importance of accelerated access to COVID-19 control tools (vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tools) in the context of a pandemic.

The countries decided to develop technical cooperation in the BRICS group in order to develop and implement protocols, projects, and platforms to facilitate data analysis, as reported in the in the XI BRICS health ministers’ meeting declaration.

Following the meeting, India-based institute played a key role in the global COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Similarly, China has invested heavily in vaccine research and development, both for COVID-19 and other communicable diseases, underscoring BRICS’ commitment to healthcare innovation.

After that, at the 13th BRICS Summit held under India’s chairship in 2021, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted the importance of strengthening health cooperation among BRICS countries, noting that shared efforts can ensure equitable access to vaccines and medical treatments and promote the creation of resilient health systems.

This was supported by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who emphasised that healthcare is a shared priority and called for collective innovation and the sharing of technology and expertise to tackle global health challenges.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also underlined the need for continued research collaborations in vaccine development, stressing the importance of building self-sufficiency in healthcare across the BRICS nations.

According to the Joint Statement of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the BRICS group aims to produce vaccines locally to reduce dependence on external suppliers and to enable member states to respond quickly to health crises.

In March 2022, BRICS launched the Vaccine Research and Development Centre under China’s chairmanship. This centre aims to bolster vaccine production capabilities and foster collaboration among BRICS nations to tackle public health challenges. The objective is to promote shared practices, increase vaccine availability, and coordinate efforts against infectious diseases.

Telemedicine in the BRICS countries

The BRICS countries are actively developing telemedicine, and each of them has adopted its own national programme.

For instance, India has a comprehensive programme including a national telemedicine association, regular congresses, and a special national telemedicine centre in Lucknow. They plan to establish a network of 1,500 clinics in rural areas linked by a special satellite.

In turn, Brazil had established a university telemedicine network that covered hundreds of hospitals and now served Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mikhail Natenzon, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Telemedicine Agency, spoke in an exclusive interview with TV BRICS about the development of telemedicine in Russia and the BRICS countries.

Natenzon noted that the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the introduction of telemedicine technologies. In Moscow, for example, all polyclinics and most hospitals are equipped with diagnostic equipment that is connected to a single centre. In addition, a medical decision support system that uses artificial intelligence to analyse medical images and help doctors in diagnosis has already been launched.

Nathenzon noted that while India and Brazil aim for broad coverage, there is room to expand the depth and range of services offered. This is where Russia can contribute with its expertise in mobile medical units.

In an exclusive commentary for TV BRICS, Valery Stolyar, Head of the Department of Medical Informatics and Telemedicine of the RUDN University, noted that Russia is actively involved in telemedicine projects, carrying out remote monitoring of patients before and after surgeries, conducting interactive remote master classes, and broadcasting surgeries and diagnostic procedures in the training of doctors. In addition, according to him, lectures on new medical technologies are exchanged between the BRICS countries.

“Russian universities are actively working with a number of BRICS countries on educational projects in the field of telemedicine (India, Iran, Brazil, South Africa). There is an exchange of distance lectures between the member countries of the group. Furthermore, Russian universities are preparing joint courses on telemedicine with the University of Tehran,” he said.

Digital Health and BRICS Healthcare Innovations

BRICS nations are also embracing digital health technologies to improve healthcare outcomes. These technologies offer solutions for more efficient healthcare delivery, better patient outcomes, and cost-effective medical care.

On 13 February 2023, the 1st meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Nuclear Medicine was held in Moscow. The meeting discussed the prospects for the development of nuclear medicine in the BRICS countries, as well as mechanisms of cooperation to improve the quality of life and increase life expectancy.

This gathering resulted in the development and approval of the Working Group's Regulations, reports the official website of BRICS 2024 Presidency reports. Following this, Andrey Stanzhevsky, President of the Russian Society of Nuclear Medicine, claimed that Russia is currently one of the largest suppliers of radioisotope products for medical purposes.

“Today, nuclear medicine is one of the most important priorities in the development of a high-tech personalised approach to the diagnosis and treatment of various oncological and non-oncological diseases. BRICS countries have significant potential in the development and application of methods of nuclear medicine and seek to cooperate in solving a socially important task for all countries: improving people’s quality of life and reducing the mortality rate of patients,” he said.

The 2024 BRICS Chairmanship prioritised the role of digital health in expanding access to healthcare, especially in rural and underserved areas. The official website of the BRICS 2024 Presidency reports that countries like India and China have led the way in using telemedicine, artificial intelligence (AI), and mobile health applications to bridge healthcare gaps.

Digital health also supports medical education and research collaboration within BRICS. By using data-driven approaches, member countries are working to combat both communicable and non-communicable diseases more effectively.

Mutual initiatives in medicine after BRICS expansion

In June 2024, the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs gathered in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, and reaffirmed their dedication to global health collaboration. The official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation reports that the BRICS ministers acknowledged the relevance of health cooperation as a central pillar of sustainable development and underlined the need for an inclusive approach to global health issues. The ministers emphasised the need to strengthen universal health coverage and improve equitable access to vaccines, medicines, and essential healthcare services for all populations.

In 2024, the BRICS countries have several ongoing mutual projects in the field of health and medicine aimed at improving healthcare systems and promoting collaboration, as stated at the official website of the Russian 2024 BRICS Chairmanship.

One major 2024 event was the 1st Meeting of BRICS Senior Health Officials, held in Moscow on 18-19 April 2024.

At the meeting, senior health representatives discussed key healthcare challenges, including vaccine shortages, antimicrobial resistance, and the rise of non-communicable diseases. An important outcome of the meeting was the proposal to create a BRICS Medical Journal and establish a BRICS Medical Association.

Key initiatives in 2024 also include the Integrated Early Warning System for Mass Infectious Diseases, aimed at preventing the outbreak of infectious diseases and leveraging shared data and resources. This system aims to provide early alerts for potential health crises, ensuring timely responses and coordinated actions across member states.

Additionally, at the 154th session of the WHO Executive Board in Geneva, Russia presented the BRICS Health Action Plan, which outlines future collaboration in areas such as nuclear medicine, antimicrobial resistance, and further development of research and development centres dedicated to health.

Furthermore, Russian President Vladimir Putin, under Russia’s 2024 BRICS Chairmanship, has pledged to prioritise healthcare among the key areas of cooperation. He stated that the Russian presidency would work towards enhancing cooperation in healthcare as part of the broader humanitarian agenda of BRICS, said the official website of the Russian 2024 BRICS Chairmanship.

Future Goals in BRICS Health Cooperation

Among the major joint health and medical objectives of the BRICS countries is to promote universal health coverage (UHC) and traditional medicine.

BRICS nations are united in their commitment to achieving universal health coverage by 2030, as stipulated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This goal aligns with improving access to essential health services, affordable medicines, and vaccines across all BRICS countries.

Moreover, the BRICS group is promoting traditional medicine. Countries like China and India have ancient medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. Collaborative projects in research, regulation, and standardisation of traditional medicines are underway to integrate them with modern medical practices. This will not only boost healthcare offerings but also support the local pharmaceutical industries, according to the Joint Statement of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

In 2024, BRICS nations will continue to deepen their cooperation in health and medicine, focussing on vaccine equity and digital health innovation. The consequent establishment of the BRICS Medical Journal, the Vaccine Research and Development Centre, and a joint Early Warning System for infectious diseases underscores the bloc’s commitment to global health security, as stated on the official website of the Russian 2024 BRICS Chairmanship.