Lula and Tedros Adhanom discuss production of dengue vaccine
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom discussed partnerships for disease elimination in a meeting on Monday (Feb. 5) at the Planalto presidential palace in Brasília. They also addressed the Brazilian vaccine production against dengue and the Brazilian temporary presidency of the G20, which has established a health working group. Minister of Health Nísia Trindade participated in the meeting.
According to the Planalto palace, Adhanom suggested that Brazil could be a supplier of the dengue vaccine through the Butantan Institute and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). Currently, the only vaccine against dengue available free of charge in Brazil’s public healthcare network, the SUS, is Qdenga, produced by the Japanese laboratory Takeda.
Adhanom also stated that the WHO intends to support Brazil in eliminating diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy, Chagas disease, and diseases transmitted from mother to child, such as HIV. These are examples of socially determined diseases.
Next Wednesday (7), the WHO director-general will participate with Minister Nísia Trindade in the launch of a national program to combat these diseases.
The discussion between the WHO director-general and President Lula also covered a health working group within the G20 framework. Additionally, they talked about the conclusion of the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on the drafting and negotiation of an international instrument for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. In this body, Brazil acts as the representative of the Americas in the group responsible for coordinating the work.
In a statement, the presidential palace said that Adhanom thanked President Lula for his support and requested that the G20 be allowed to discuss health financing. Lula emphasized the need for improved tax policies to increase funding for the sector.
