Health Ministers of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) met this morning in Durban for their 8th Annual Summit. Ministers released a communiqué that highlights the importance of the UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on TB and reaffirms their intention to continue co-operating in key areas of shared health interest, including TB, non-communicable diseases, access to medicines and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
In today’s meeting, the Ministers discussed future collaboration on TB research within BRICS states and recognized the need for a new financial mechanism to support BRICS research projects.
With the first-ever UN HLM on TB to be held on 26 September in New York, during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, the world has a unique opportunity to make concrete progress on ending TB.
The entire TB community is looking towards concrete engagement from the Heads of State and governments in the TB response. The President of Brazil, Michel Temer, the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, People's Republic of China, Xi Jiping and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi are expected to join President Ramaphosa who earlier this month during the Africa Union Summit in Mauritania announced his intention to attend the UN HLM on TB.
BRICS nations account together for over 40% of TB and over 50% of drug-resistant TB cases globally and should ensure scale-up of TB efforts in their respective countries and be essential parts of the global, and regional response to end TB.
In his closing speech in Durban today the Minister of Health of South Africa and Chair of Stop TB Partnership Board, Hon Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi called on his peer Ministers of Health to do their utmost to secure their respective Heads of State participation at the historical UN HLM on TB in New York.
The final BRICS Ministers of Health final commniqué can be found here.
The BRICS Heads of State Summit will take place on 25 to 27 July in Johannesburg, South Africa.
