The BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases: a multilateral agenda to health equity

Cover Page

Cite item

Full Text

Abstract

The creation of the BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases marks a pivotal step in positioning the social determinants of health at the forefront of global public policy and collective action. Socially determined diseases shaped by poverty, inequality, inadequate sanitation, and limited access to services, remain significant public health challenges across BRICS nations. Despite substantial progress in science, technology, and health system strengthening, global targets for disease elimination and reduction remain off track due to persistent financial gaps, fragmented programs, and insufficient multisectoral coordination. In this context, BRICS countries, representing nearly half of the world’s population, are uniquely positioned to drive transformative change by integrating health equity principles into national and international agendas. This manuscript describes the technical and political process that led to the formulation of the BRICS Partnership, culminating in its endorsement at the BRICS Leaders’ Meeting. The Partnership outlines five strategic objectives focused on strengthening resilient health systems, advancing intersectoral action, expanding research and innovation, securing sustainable financing, and aligning global positions to accelerate progress toward disease elimination. The initiative offers a comprehensive framework that addresses both disease-specific challenges and the broader structural drivers of inequity. The BRICS Partnership thus emerges as a global model of how collaboration, scientific advancement, multilateralism, and social justice can converge to accelerate the elimination, control, or reduction of socially determined diseases and promote a healthier, more equitable future.

About the authors

D. B. Cravo Neto

Department of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis,Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, Ministry of Health of Brazil

ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9626-7740
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

M. S. de Oliveira

Department of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health of Brazil

ORCID iD: 0009-0003-1891-9795
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

S. L. D. X. Santos

Department of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health of Brazil

ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3232-1776
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

S. M. S. F. Bayma

Department of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis,Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, Ministry of Health of Brazil

SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

D. O. C. Lima

Secretariat of Health and Environmental Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil

ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5050-6742
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

F. M. W. Paiva

Secretariat of Health and Environmental Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil

SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

T. R. F. Arruda

Department of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis,Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, Ministry of Health of Brazil

SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

N. B. de Oliveira

Department of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health of Brazil

ORCID iD: 0009-0003-1891-9795
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

A. J. Silva e Alves

Department of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health of Brazil

ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4779-1060
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

V. K. Wachira

Department of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health of Brazil

Email: mariangela.simao@saude.gov.br
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8018-9939
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

A. A. Araújo

Department of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health of Brazil

SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

N. R. Paiva

Secretariat of Health and Environmental Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil

Email: mariangela.simao@saude.gov.br
ORCID iD: 0009-0005-1994-9149
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

S. B. A. Botaro

Secretariat of Health and Environmental Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil

SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

M. B. G. Simão

Secretariat of Health and Environmental Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil

Email: mariangela.simao@saude.gov.br
ORCID iD: 0009-0004-6577-037X
SRTV 702 Vila W5 Norte Ed. PO 700, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil

References

  1. Rocha PR, David HM. ¿Determinación o determinantes? Una discusión con base en la Teoría de la Producción Social de la Salud [Determination or determinants? A debate based on the Theory on the Social Production of Health]. (In Portuguese). Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2015;49(1):129–135. doi: 10.1590/S0080-623420150000100017
  2. Carrapato P, Correia P, Garcia B. Determinante da saúde no Brasil: a procura da equidade na saúde [Health determinants in Brasil: searching for health equity]. (In Portuguese). Saúde e Sociedade. 2017;26(3):676–689. doi: 10.1590/S010412902017170304
  3. Almeida-Filho N. Quality-equity in health: new challenges in a social ill-fare state. Interface (Botucatu). 2020;24:e200171. doi: 10.1590/Interface.200171
  4. Liu Z, Wang Z, Xu M, Ma J, Sun Y, Huang Y. The priority areas and possible pathways for health cooperation in BRICS countries. Glob Health Res Policy. 2023;8(1):36. doi: 10.1186/s41256-023-00318-x
  5. Cashwell A, Tantri A, Schmidt A, Simon G, Mistry N. BRICS in the response to neglected tropical diseases. Bull World Health Organ. 2014;92(6):461–462. doi: 10.2471/BLT.13.132555
  6. Jesus GS, Gestal PFPS, Silva AF, et al. Effects of conditional cash transfers on tuberculosis incidence and mortality according to race, ethnicity and socioeconomic factors in the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort. Nat Med. 2025;31(2):653–662. doi: 10.1038/s41591-024-03381-0
  7. Reid MJA, Arinaminpathy N, Bloom A, et al. Building a tuberculosis-free world: The Lancet Commission on tuberculosis. Lancet. 2019;393(10178):1331–1384. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30024-8
  8. Zagdyn Z, Zhao Y, Tsvetkov V, et al. Incidence of socially significant infectious diseases (HIV, TB and HIV/TB coinfection) in the Arctic regions of Russia. Int J Circumpolar Health. 2021;80(1):1966924. doi: 10.1080/22423982.2021.1966924

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML
Download