Brasilia, Brazil, 17 June 2025 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, urged greater collaboration and new partnerships to tackle key health priorities within the BRICS agenda. These priorities include innovation, health equity, sustainable food systems, and pandemic preparedness.
Dr. Barbosa spoke at the opening of the 15th BRICS Ministers of Health Meeting in Brasilia, highlighting the global importance of BRICS nations. “The BRICS countries are not only economic and political powers but also public health leaders,” he said. “Together, they represent over 40% of the world’s population. Their progress in health coverage, epidemic response, and local innovation has worldwide impact.”
The PAHO Director emphasized that countries in the Americas, especially Latin America and the Caribbean, face similar health challenges as the BRICS nations. These include the burden of noncommunicable diseases, modernizing health systems, preparing for climate change effects on health, advancing digital health and innovation, eradicating communicable diseases, and promoting healthy diets.
“These shared goals offer a clear chance for BRICS and the Americas to learn from each other, deepen collaboration, and jointly develop tools to protect health and foster development,” Dr. Barbosa added.
He reaffirmed PAHO’s commitment to supporting regional and global health initiatives that promote health as a key driver of economic growth and social inclusion.
The meeting gathered Health Ministers and senior officials from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates.
At the meeting, the BRICS delegates approved a Declaration aimed at strengthening cooperation in health through collaboration among Global South countries. The Declaration focuses on boosting local and regional production of medicines, vaccines, and health supplies; promoting health equity by targeting socially determined diseases; ensuring fair access to tuberculosis innovations; advancing regulatory alignment; expanding health research; encouraging vaccine development; strengthening artificial intelligence in healthcare; and building sustainable, resilient health infrastructure.
Brazil’s Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, acknowledged the support of WHO and PAHO during the Declaration’s adoption, thanking Dr. Barbosa in particular.
Addressing Noncommunicable Diseases
Dr. Barbosa also took part in a high-level event on promoting healthy eating to prevent noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. These conditions cause about 71% of deaths worldwide, many of which are avoidable.
However, less than 2% of official development aid goes to NCDs, Dr. Barbosa pointed out. Unhealthy diets high in trans fats, saturated fats, free sugars, and salt, combined with low consumption of whole grains, fruits, legumes, and vegetables, are a major cause of the NCD epidemic.
He noted that the global rise of ultra-processed foods, aggressively marketed everywhere, has driven rapid changes in nutrition in both rich and poor countries.
To combat these problems, PAHO and BRICS countries shared experiences on effective prevention measures. These include front-of-package warning labels, taxes on sugary drinks, and regulations to limit marketing of unhealthy foods.
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