Por: Xinhua
Xinhua – 10.07.2011
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.