30 July 2008
The Ministers of Health of India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) have reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance trilateral co-operation in the field of health and medicine by pooling the significant capabilities that exist in the IBSA countries.
The joint decision was made during a Health Ministerial meeting attended by the Ministers of Health Dr Anbumani Ramadoss (India), Mr Jose Gomes Temporao (Brazil) and Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang (South Africa) in New Delhi today.
The Ministers met to review the progress on the plan of action to implement the activities of the Memorandum of Understanding between the three countries, signed at the IBSA Summit, hosted by President Thabo Mbeki last year.
To further strengthen the co-operation, IBSA agreed to include capacity building through programmes such as the exchange of health professionals, joint training/workshops and attachments, as well as strengthen public health laboratories, health surveillance, traditional medicines and registration of drugs and medicines.
The increased pace of socio-economic development of these countries, has brought along with it rapidly increasing burden of non-communicable diseases - all expensive to treat and manage. The three countries are united in their commitment to sustainable and equitable development, as well as promoting universal access to quality health care and affordable medicines.
India Minister Ramadoss has been in the forefront of poverty alleviation and rural health improvement. IBSA stands to benefit from India's experience in the National Rural Health Mission, which focuses on rural people to bring primary health care to their doorsteps. South Africa has just begun to pay special attention to this aspect of healthcare, and has produced a draft rural health strategy, which will be published for public comment soon.
Pharmaceuticals are potentially the biggest issue for IBSA, both politically and economically, and Brazil is a leader in this area. IBSA would also benefit from Brazil's guidance in navigating through the Global Strategy and the Plan of Action on Intellectual Property, Innovation and public health as articulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Minister Tshabalala-Msimang has made anti-smoking her flagship programme, and in 2000 she was bestowed the Luther L Terry Award from the American Cancer Society. South Africa's legislation in tobacco control is quoted as the most progressive ever to the extent that countries like Sweden have asked to model their policies and legislation on it.
The Framework Convention and Tobacco Control Bureau has nominated a South African, Professor Harry Seftel, to be given an award for his contribution to public health through his activism against smoking. South Africa in January next year will be labelling all alcohol containers with health warnings in its efforts to promote good health and prevent diseases.
Addressing the two Ministers of India and Brazil, Minister Dr Tshabalala-Msimang said "I would wish to see simple, but highly effective programmes such as a healthy lifestyle movement which has taken on like wild fire in my country, become a trademark of IBSA".
"Coming to traditional medicine, some ground has been covered in the area of traditional medicine in my country and I would like to express our gratitude for the assistance we received from India in this area."
"I would also like to commend and thank Brazil's steadfast and resilient approach to the management of intellectual property rights through the use of legislation to enable compulsory licensing and resistance to the TRIPS-PLUS agenda. This is an IBSA agenda issue that must be pursued to improve access to effective, appropriate and affordable pharmaceuticals and related technologies," the minister added.
A draft work plan for the implementation of all the agreed activities would be presented at the next IBSA Health Ministers Meeting.
For more information contact:
Charity Bhengu
Cell: 083 679 7424
Issued by: Department of Health
30 July 2008
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
