Event recap MDR-TB and the BRICS

At the 65th World Health Assembly, UNITAID held a technical briefing to propose a new paradigm for middle-income countries to drive multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) markets for greater public health good.

While low-income countries still largely depend on donors to finance national health care and services, middle-income nations, in particular Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (the “BRICS”), are becoming increasingly autonomous as their economies expand.

MDR-TB is a case in point. At UNITAID’s technical briefing, BRICS countries discussed national provision of MDR-TB diagnosis and treatment, either through government-funded programmes or private sector outlets. Countries also noted that considerable challenges remain: MDR-TB cases are often undiagnosed; and even when diagnosed, treatment remains suboptimal, particularly in the private sector.

Market-based interventions are well recognized as effective means to improve public health. However, with MDR-TB markets fractured across several dominant middle-income countries, funding agencies and donors are left with little room to leverage markets in a way that also benefits smaller economies.

 
Presentations from the conference can be found below: