Global Health

In our increasingly interconnected world, global health stands out as one of the most pressing challenges. Pandemics, climate change, social inequality, and technological innovations are reshaping healthcare systems around the world. Alongside progress in medicine, social and political dimensions are also gaining prominence. These challenges are manifold and call for joint international solutions.

International research cooperation plays a key role in this context. Leveraging its broad expertise and global presence, the network of the German Centres for Research and Innovation (DWIH) fosters collaboration among research, industry, and society to address global health issues in a sustainable way. The focus is on topics such as gender-equitable healthcare, addressing scientific scepticism, integration of digital technologies, health inequalities, and the role of climate change in the emergence of new diseases.

Brazil is an important player in global health. Its public health system (Sistema Único de Saúde – SUS) and national vaccination programme (Programa Nacional de Imunizações – PNI) are international models, influencing the design and implementation of immunisation programs in East Timor and the Palestinian territories. Brazil also has technical cooperation agreements with Argentina, Mexico, the United States, and several other countries. Finally, Instituto Butantan, the largest manufacturer of vaccines and serums in Latin America, exported more than five million doses of the flu vaccine to neighbouring countries in 2023 through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Brazil is committed to international collaboration in health research.  The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) is one of the most important centres for scientific and technological research in Latin America. It contributes its expertise on diseases such as COVID-19, Zika, and Mpox to the Global Health NetworkRecently, Fiocruz has expanded its capacity for innovation in developing technologies related to neglected tropical diseases. Moreover, Brazil coordinates the production of medical products, aiming to enhance global access to vaccines and medicines.

Training in Global Health

Germany is an important partner in this area. For instance, the University of Heidelberg collaborates with Fiocruz on heart diseases. For the past ten years, the German Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS7) have maintained academic exchanges with universities in southern Brazil nursing sciences and organises the Brazil-Germany Nursing Symposium annually.  Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) also works with institutions in Brazil, Mozambique, and Kosovo within the framework of the JITO-Health research project (Joint Initiative for Teaching and Learning about Global Health and One Health Challenges).

As a facilitator for exchange between Brazil and Germany, DWIH São Paulo has continually supported scientific cooperation in global health between the Technical University of Dortmund and the University of São Paulo. It has also facilitated scientific exchanges between the two countries and discussed pandemic challenges. In 2025, DWIH São Paulo will continue to focus on Global Health exchange, both through events and other forms of dialogue.