Could China lead the G20 in combating non-communicable diseases?

John Kirton and his assistant Madeline Koch talk with Dr. Wang Qunwei from Sinobioway at the manufacturing base of Beijing Sinobioway Group in Hefei of east China's Anhui Province. Dr. Wang’s team was actively involved in the research and testing of CAR-T (Chimeric Antegen Receptor T cell). The research focused on treating blood cancer like leukaemia, hutchins diseases and lymphoma. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Han Jitao]

Written by John Kirton, Co-director, G20 Research Group

Addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria has long been a   priority for the G7 summit since it started working on health in the   1980s. It will continue to be a priority for some time. The G7 is   working in support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda to meet the third   Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) aimed at ending these three deadly   infectious diseases 14 years from now.

Many G7 members are leading here. Italy did so when it hosted the G7   summit in Genoa in 2001, where the G7 launched the Global Fund against   HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Italy’s will work to advance the   health-related SDGs and development in Africa when it hosts the next G7   summit in Taormina, Sicily, in May 2017.

Canada long ago acted to make antiretroviral medicines affordable to   the many Africans afflicted by HIV/AIDS. It hosted the Global Fund   replenishment conference in Montreal right after the G20 summit in   Hangzhou in September 2016.

The Hangzhou Summit also gave strong support to the SDGs. It took up   two pressing issues in global health: strengthening the global health   architecture and combating antimicrobial resistance. But the G20 led by   China could make its strongest contribution on another critical   component of SDG 3 - combating the four big non-communicable diseases of   heart and stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease.   These diseases are the number one killers in all G20 countries other   than South Africa, where HIV/AIDS still has the top spot. China is   already a leading global platform in producing insulin, which is   critical in controlling diabetes. The research center of Sinobioway,   located in Bantang in Anhui Province, is now making pioneering advances   in treating cancer.

Sinobioway, a private company 40% owned by Peking University, is   steadily moving to complete the clinical trials for cell therapy for   blood cancers and is already serving patients from nearby Russia   elsewhere. In the spirit of globalization by licensing a technology from   Baylor University in the United States in the hopes of bringing highly   effective, low-cost treatment to the four million Chinese citizens who   diagnosed with cancer each year.

With such formidable capabilities and cooperative spirit, China is   well positioned to lead the G20 in adding NCDs directly to its global   health agenda at the Hamburg Summit hosted by Germany on July 7-8 next   year.