The Challenge
Brazil has a notable track record of improving health indicators domestically by expanding coverage of services and being an early adopter of public health technologies. Over the past decade this experience has been on the regional and global spotlight, creating an opportunity to build on Brazil’s experience to promote health equity globally. In 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was exploring the possible formalization of a health partnerships with Brazil, with an eye toward potential opportunities to collaborate on issues that impact communities both in Brazil and around the world. The Gates Foundation engaged GHS to help develop the Brazilian Strategic Alliance (BSA), a new partnership between the foundation and the Brazilian government.
The Approach
Under the BSA, the Gates Foundation and Brazilian partners agreed to contribute resources and expertise to accelerate the discovery, development and delivery of innovative global health technologies and ensure access to these technologies in developing countries. To support the BSA, GHS provides on-the-ground knowledge, supports the foundation in managing local relationships and facilitates the implementation of agreed-upon activities across Brazil. GHS has helped bridge local and foundation priorities – across languages and time zones – and ensures that the foundation and its partners can operate effectively within the national context.
The Impact
Since the establishment of the BSA, the Gates Foundation has worked with Brazilian stakeholders to advance shared priorities such as vaccine development, tuberculosis, vector control, discovery research, maternal and child health and South-South cooperation on . Collectively, these efforts have helped leverage foundation investments, promote Brazil’s leadership on global health and development and drive progress on key global health priorities in Brazil and beyond.
