Africa eyes initiative in disease control

Health cooperation among BRICS countries could help Africa close persistent gaps in disease surveillance, research, diagnostics and vaccine production while strengthening health systems and improving access to medical products across the Global South, according to experts.

The potential benefits are drawing attention as plans advance for a BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for the Prevention and Response to Mass Infectious Diseases. The initiative is aimed at strengthening disease detection, information sharing, preparedness and coordinated responses to future outbreaks.

At the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting in Chandigarh, India, in July, member nations supported the establishment of a dedicated sub-working group on the early warning system to advance the initiative, which is considered a milestone in advancing regional and international health security.

For Africa, the proposed system could make an important contribution, particularly if it connects effectively with surveillance and early warning systems already in operation across the continent.

"In an outbreak, speed matters enormously. The earlier we identify an unusual signal, the greater our chance of containing it before it becomes a much larger emergency," said Saran Koly, director of communication and public information for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

She said the fast sharing of epidemiological information, laboratory results, genomic data and risk assessments across countries could improve the ability to identify and contain emerging threats.

Koly said the priority for Africa should be ensuring interoperability between the BRICS-proposed early warning system and existing continental and national health structures in Africa.

"We already have national public-health institutes, laboratory networks, Africa CDC's regional structures and surveillance systems operating across the continent," she said.

"The BRICS system will be most useful to us if these systems can communicate with each other and information can move quickly enough to support decisions on the ground."

Raphael Obonyo, a Kenyan public policy analyst, said the proposed system could be particularly significant for Africa because it would help establish a common mechanism for tackling diseases and outbreaks, with a focus on prevention, detection and response.

He said greater BRICS cooperation could strengthen disease surveillance, diagnostics, vaccine research and manufacturing, as well as technology transfer.

"Most importantly, the cooperation will aid Africa in building resilience, innovation and sustainability in the prevention and response to mass infectious diseases," he said.

Health is a key area of cooperation among BRICS members, with intensified joint efforts in collaboration in recent years in disease control and prevention, research and innovation and improving universal health coverage. Cooperation mechanisms such as the BRICS Tuberculosis Research Network and BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre have been established for member states to collaborate on research, technology transfer and capacity building.

Beyond the early warning system, Africa CDC envisions opportunities for other practical cooperation projects between African and BRICS institutions.

Several BRICS countries have strong capabilities in pharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostics, biotechnology and genomic surveillance. "We would like to see that translated into very practical cooperation with African institutions: joint research, stronger laboratory networks, clinical trials, training, technology transfer, partnerships between manufacturers and faster development of diagnostics and other medical countermeasures," Koly said.

For Africa to benefit fully from the emerging cooperation with BRICS in disease prevention and control, Obonyo said institutions such as Africa CDC and national public-health agencies must ensure the necessary systems and capacities are in place to support timely detection and effective responses.

African nations must also invest in preparedness before emergencies occur, including through stronger health systems, surveillance and cross-border coordination, he said.