Collaboration patterns among SAARC countries in the area of medicine : status and issues

Abstract

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established when its Charter was formally adopted on December 8, 1985 by the Heads of State or Government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAARC thus provided a platform for the peoples of South Asia to work together in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding. Since 12 years of SAARC establishment in 1985 an attempt has been made to study the present status of collaboration and cooperation among these countries in Health sector. The following issues are discussed in the study: The pattern of publication of SAARC countries in area of medicine and Collaboration among SAARC countries. The purpose of the study is to show that studies reported from these countries are focused more towards the issues being discussed in developed countries. The SAARC countries in spite of having common health problems and often affected by same kind of natural calamities and epidemics do not attempt for a common minimum program to overcome the same. SAARC countries continue to be guinea pigs for the MNC’s .First it was the tropical diseases and now it is in cases such as Cancer, HIV/AIDS, diseases relating to pollution, etc.