Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the oldest and deadliest infectious diseases still with us today. In 2023 alone, nearly 10 million people fell ill and 1.25 million died from TB worldwide. Despite being preventable and curable, TB remains the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19.
That’s why the recent XV BRICS Health Ministers’ Declaration in Brasília marked a pivotal moment. When BRICS unite to fight TB—bringing together Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and now Indonesia—the world pays attention. These countries represent over half of all global TB cases. Their coordinated action has the potential to shift the trajectory of the epidemic in ways individual nations cannot achieve alone.
Scale of the Problem & Why BRICS Focus Matters
The Global TB Burden
You’re looking at a disease that continues to claim lives even as medical science advances. Funding for TB services has fallen from $6.8 billion in 2019 to just $5.7 billion in 2023, far short of the global target of $13 billion annually. This underinvestment threatens hard-won progress.
Why BRICS Matters
BRICS nations alone account for more than 50% of TB cases globally. Many of these countries also face systemic challenges—strained healthcare systems, poverty, and high rates of drug-resistant TB. Their collective leadership is essential because the fight against TB cannot be won without tackling it where the burden is greatest.
Key Commitments & Features of the BRICS Strategy
Political Commitment
The declaration highlights the intention to accelerate access to new diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments. By aligning closely with WHO’s Global TB Programme, BRICS nations are signaling not only ambition but also collaboration with international health frameworks.
Research and Innovation
The BRICS TB Research Network has been tasked with harmonizing priorities across countries. That includes fast-tracking novel vaccines—like those using mRNA platforms—and developing shorter, more effective treatment regimens.
Financing and Cooperation
The ministers pledged to mobilize sustainable financing through domestic resources, multilateral partners, and the private sector. They also stressed technology sharing, regulatory alignment, and equitable access, ensuring that breakthroughs reach patients everywhere, not just in wealthy urban centers.
Why This Might Be a Turning Point
Political Will at the Highest Levels
You’ve seen TB commitments come and go, but this time feels different. When BRICS unite to fight TB, they combine political clout with resources and scientific capacity. The declaration also launched a partnership for eliminating “socially determined diseases”—an acknowledgment that poverty, malnutrition, and poor housing drive TB spread as much as bacteria.
Research Synergies
Pooling expertise across these diverse economies creates a unique advantage. Shared clinical trials, joint vaccine development, and harmonized regulations mean innovations can move from lab to patient faster.
Tackling Equity
By addressing social determinants alongside biomedical advances, BRICS nations are tackling TB at its root. This dual approach has the potential to reduce inequality in health outcomes within and beyond their borders.
Challenges and Risks to Watch
Funding Gaps
Despite bold declarations, funding remains below global targets. Without consistent investment, even the best strategies risk falling short.
Uneven Capacity
Health infrastructure across BRICS countries varies widely. Rolling out new diagnostics or vaccines in rural India or South Africa will look very different from deployment in urban China.
Drug Resistance
Drug-resistant TB continues to complicate treatment. Current regimens are long, costly, and difficult to complete. Without breakthroughs in shorter therapies or new vaccines, drug resistance could undermine progress.
What “Game Changer” Looks Like
For this initiative to truly transform TB control, here’s what success will require:
- Clear metrics: measurable reductions in TB incidence and mortality in BRICS nations.
- Innovation milestones: approval and rollout of new vaccines and shorter treatments.
- Sustainable financing: meeting or surpassing the $13 billion global target.
- Cross-sector cooperation: aligning housing, nutrition, and poverty-reduction policies with health goals.
If these elements align, the ripple effects will benefit other high-burden countries as well.
Case Studies in Action
- China has already rolled out a national TB prevention and treatment plan (2024–2030) with grassroots service delivery and vaccine trials underway.
- The 18th BRICS TB Research Network meeting in May underscored commitments to prevention, diagnostics, and treatment innovations.
These are early signs that the declarations are being translated into real programs.
How BRICS Cooperation Shapes Global Health
When BRICS nations unite to fight tuberculosis, they send a powerful signal: the Global South is capable of leading the response to major health challenges. And the implications go far beyond TB. Coordinated innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable financing can form a replicable model for addressing other diseases rooted in inequality—such as malaria and HIV.
By amplifying cross-border efforts and spotlighting scalable solutions at the intersection of health and technology, Tech Pioneer plays a catalytic role in connecting public health goals with collaborative innovation on a global scale.
Conclusion
Ending TB has always been possible in theory. What’s been missing is scale, coordination, and political will. By standing together, BRICS unite to fight TB offers a chance to change that. The declaration made in Brasília is ambitious, but it reflects growing recognition that fragmented approaches won’t end the epidemic.
For you, the takeaway is clear: watch how these commitments evolve into action. If BRICS deliver—through innovation, financing, and equity-focused strategies—the world could be closer than ever to consigning TB to history.