BRICS members pool expertise for universal health coverage: Report
New Delhi, Aug 8
BRICS health ministers' recent declaration committed the bloc to deeper cooperation in health care, and pooled expertise for collectively working towards achieving universal health coverage, a new report has said.
"By pooling expertise, BRICS is laying the foundations for more accessible, affordable and resilient health care for billions of people across the global south," the report from South Africa-based publication The Citizen said.
With delegates from over 70 representatives and partner organisations endorsing nine priority areas including mental health, tuberculosis control, pandemic preparedness, traditional medicine and nuclear medicine, the 16th BRICS health ministers' declaration saw measurable outcomes.
At the gathering chaired by India in Chandigarh, the adoption of the 16th BRICS health ministers' declaration builds on an earlier pledge by member states to work collectively towards achieving UHC.
Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, stressed strengthening collective action as "enhanced cooperation would strengthen public health systems, accelerate digital health care solutions and improve access to medical services across member states."
He noted India's experience had shown resilient health systems and equitable health care access to be essential pillars of sustainable development.
Among the bloc, Brazil has made the most progress with free health care under its Unified Health System, the report said, while India's Ayushman Bharat remains one of the world's largest publicly funded insurance schemes.
Brazil provides free health care to all residents and visitors through its Unified Health System. Russia operates a state-backed mandatory health insurance model built around an extensive public health care network. China has achieved near-universal basic health coverage through government-supported insurance schemes.
"India has also made significant advances through sustained policy reforms, infrastructure investment and increased public health expenditure," the South-African media house said.
Programmes such as the National Rural Health Mission have strengthened primary healthcare, while government-funded insurance schemes support economically disadvantaged citizens at accredited public and private hospitals, it added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative but we need to see tangible outcomes, not just declarations. Our rural healthcare infrastructure still needs massive improvement. The NRHM has done decent work but there are gaps in implementation. Hope this BRICS cooperation actually translates into better primary health centers in our villages, not just high-level meetings in five-star hotels.
As someone working in public health, this is a welcome step. The focus on traditional medicine and nuclear medicine is particularly interesting. India has rich traditional knowledge that can complement modern healthcare. Also, pooling pandemic preparedness expertise makes total sense post-COVID. Let's hope the BRICS health ministers follow through on their commitments with concrete action plans.
Interesting to see the BRICS bloc positioning itself as a counterweight in global health governance. As someone who's observed global health policy for a while, I think the key will be whether they can create a sustainable financing mechanism. China's near-universal coverage and Brazil's unified system are impressive, but each country faces its own unique challenges. India's scale makes this particularly ambitious.
The focus on mental health as a priority area is commendable. We often ignore this aspect in India - there's so much stigma around it. If BRICS collaboration can help create awareness and share best practices for mental health support, that would be a huge win for our society. Also glad to see TB control highlighted - we still have a long way to go in eliminating TB in India.
Good to see BRICS focusing on healthcare but I hope our government is also investing adequately in grassroots health workers like ASHA and ANM. They are the real heroes who make healthcare
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