Strengthening the public health systems in the BRICS countries through networking of national public health institutes: an operational framework

Abstract

The BRICS nations are demographically and geographically diverse but face shared public health challenges that require stronger and more coordinated public health cooperation. The National Public Health Institutes (NPHI) participating in The BRICS Network of National Public Health Institutes (BNN) are science-based national centres of excellence that support public health leadership, capacity building, disease prevention and control, surveillance, emergency preparedness, research, and evidence-informed policy. Building on established international experience with collaborative NPHI and public health networks, the BNN represents a BRICS-specific approach to institutional cooperation. The aim of this article is to examine the 2026 Operational Framework for the BNN in the context of current evidence and international experience, with particular attention to its strategic priorities, governance arrangements, and implementation challenges.

The BNN focuses on NPHI capacity mapping, workforce and faculty exchange, knowledge sharing, public health workforce development, strengthening surveillance and response systems, and collaborative research and innovation across BRICS countries. The 2026 Operational Framework outlines a three-tiered governance model intended to support strategic alignment, coordination, and technical implementation, guided by the principles of collective leadership, country ownership, continuity across Chairships, and result-oriented collaboration. It also proposes mechanisms for strengthening other Public Health Institutes within member countries. The 2026 Operational Framework provides a structured basis for institutional collaboration across BRICS; however, its implementation, sustainability, and effects on public health system performance and population health remain to be evaluated over time.