Mumbai: India, Russia and China have agreed in principle to work out a mechanism to facilitate cooperation in the field of health and medicine. The three sides also exchanged views on the working mechanism proposed by China.

The representatives of the ministries of health of India, Russia and China met in New Delhi today to discuss trilateral cooperation in the health sector.

The three sides have decided to hold internal consultations on formalising a cooperation mechanism to take forward collaboration in identified areas. Each side will be designated a focal point in the near future for coordination in this regard.

A meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Russia and India held in Harbin, China in 2007 had resolved to enhance trilateral cooperation in the field of health and medicine by pooling significant capabilities that exist in these three countries.

The three countries exchanged information, including collaboration strategies on infectious diseases such as AIDS, TB, hepatitis B, leprosy and malaria prevention and control thereof and the area of traditional medicines.

The three sides will share experiences of the management and reforms of their health care systems.

Being large economies in transition, facing complexities of dealing with both non-communicable and communicable diseases, there exist commonalities among the three countries in terms of health-related challenges.

''Cooperation in the field of health and medicine will not only further strengthen their mutual ties but also help develop and expand national systems for delivering quality health care to citizens,'' they said in a release.

India, Russia and China agreed to hold trilateral consultations on cooperation in the field of health and medicine on an annual basis alternatively in India, Russia and China.