BRICS countries sign agreement to collaborate on research, public health efforts

"Health ministers of the group of developing countries known as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have signed an agreement to work together on research projects and to reduce the burden of disease," BMJ reports. "Meeting in New Delhi on 10 and 11 January, they adopted the 'Delhi communiqué,' which promises greater collaboration in ensuring access to public health services and in implementing affordable, equitable, and sustainable solutions to emerging health threats," the journal writes.

"The communiqué identified several priority areas: non-communicable diseases, mental disorders, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV and AIDS," according to BMJ. "Agreeing with the idea of thematic areas for research and development, Tanmay Mahapatra, director of medical research at the Mission Arogya Health and Information Technology Research Foundation, in Kolkata, said, 'Each of these focus areas need to be addressed with specifically targeted research planning and development to minimize the burden of ill health contributed by them,'" the journal adds (Bhaumik, 1/18).