BRICS Cooperation Drives Resilient Healthcare, Pharmaceutical Sovereignty in the Global South

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- Global South countries are intensifying efforts to strengthen healthcare resilience and pharmaceutical sovereignty, with BRICS emerging as a key platform for scientific cooperation, technology exchange, and the development of joint projects in medicine and pharmaceuticals, according to TV BRICS.

The network said the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of resilient healthcare systems, domestic scientific capabilities, and a strong pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, making access to medicines and vaccine development not only a social policy priority but also a factor underpinning national resilience.

In the final declaration of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, member states reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing global health governance through stronger international cooperation and solidarity.

“Recognising the interconnected nature of global health challenges and their transboundary implications, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening global health governance by enhancing international cooperation and solidarity,” the declaration stated.

TV BRICS reported that experts are increasingly highlighting the importance of “pharmaceutical sovereignty” – a state’s ability to independently provide essential medicines, develop vaccine production, and maintain a highly qualified medical workforce.

Margarita Isaakova, Head of the International Office of the Department of International Development at the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, said access to vaccines extends beyond their physical availability.

“The very concept of ‘availability’ is not limited to the physical presence of a vaccine at the point of care. The economic aspect – affordability, that is, the ability to purchase or obtain a medicine regardless of the end user's income level – is equally important.

“Moreover, availability is inseparably linked to the readiness of infrastructure to receive, store, and distribute a specific type of vaccine, which is far from always achievable outside major urban centres,” she told TV BRICS.

According to Isaakova, many Global South countries remain highly dependent on imports of active pharmaceutical ingredients and auxiliary materials, leaving their healthcare systems vulnerable to disruptions in global logistics and export policy changes, as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report noted that BRICS countries have built a rapidly growing pharmaceutical sector, with member states developing independent production chains and launching joint scientific initiatives aimed at achieving pharmaceutical sovereignty and advancing vaccine development.

TV BRICS highlighted that India remains the world’s largest producer and supplier of generic medicines, while China possesses the world’s largest vaccine production capacity. Russia, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia, Iran, and Indonesia are also expanding domestic pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing capabilities through national strategies and state-backed initiatives.

Despite these advances, the report said challenges remain, including patent protection regimes, the high cost of innovative medicines, and limited financing capacities of national healthcare systems.

Considering developments in recent years across developing countries, healthcare and public health specialist Vitoria Davi Marzola said it can be assumed that the pharmaceutical industries are on a growth trajectory, particularly following the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It has become evident that dependence solely on large pharmaceutical companies and concentrated global networks creates vulnerability, delays access, and contributes to health inequalities,” she said.

TV BRICS also noted that the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre, established in 2022 following a proposal by South Africa in 2018, serves as a unified platform for research cooperation, technology transfer, and the development of collaborative projects to ensure equitable access to vaccines and immunobiological products.

“BRICS has the opportunity to build a foundation for health and technological sovereignty. Countries such as India, China, and Brazil already possess significant experience in the production of medicines, vaccines, biosimilars, and immunobiological products. The challenge is to transform these national capabilities into a shared platform among the member states,” Marzola said.

-- BERNAMA