140 BRICS Delegates Participate in Rospotrebnadzor International Conference

Rospotrebnadzor Head Anna Popova opened the International Conference ‘Bio-Threats and Pathogens. BRICS Response’ on 18 July 2024. The event was attended by 140 delegates from BRICS countries, including the heads of sanitary and epidemiological services, leading scientists, and pandemic and biosecurity specialists. The conference took place in Moscow on 18–19 July 2024.

Popova opened the session by recalling the first BRICS conference aimed at combating threats of this nature, held in 2015 at the initiative of Russia and laying the foundation for co-operation within BRICS on global public health issues caused by infections.

Ten years ago, BRICS was focused on the largest Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the development of systems to monitor and prevent sanitary and epidemiological threats, and research and development for tests and vaccines. Discussions were held on highly pathogenic avian influenza and coronaviruses causing the outbreaks of severe acute and Middle East respiratory syndromes. Co-operation in the fight against pandemics has been reflected in BRICS leaders’ declarations since 2015.

“The ties that bind our countries, a common understanding of the threat that exists, and a willingness to work together enabled BRICS to respond effectively to the spread of COVID-19. And now, in 2024, global threats to biological security continue to be significant,” Popova said.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and BRICS Sherpa Sergey Ryabkov, speaking at the opening of the conference, nited that the international co-operation in healthcare is an integral part of sustainable national development: “Issues of critical importance to biosecurity are on the agenda and will be addressed in an innovative way, at the intersection of emerging technologies capable of providing unique problem-solving opportunities, while also posing threats the like of which humanity has never known.”

BRICS countries are home to dozens of acclaimed research institutions with scientists publishing thousands of publications annually on epidemiology, microbiology, and biotechnology. The innovative work of BRICS specialists finds application across the globe. At present, BRICS member nations already account for more than a quarter of global patent registrations in biotechnology, more than 35% of pharmaceutical patents, and around 18% of those registered for medical technology.

BRICS delegation representatives joined conference sessions with presentations on their agencies’ experiences in healthcare and global health security and noted the need for more extensive co-operation within the association.

The Roscongress Foundation manages the events of Russia’s BRICS Chairship.