The 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ meeting.(Photo | X / @MoHFW_INDIA)
Updated on: 23 Jul 2026, 5:05 pm
NEW DELHI: The 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ meeting on Thursday committed to further deepening health cooperation and strengthening resilient, equitable and people-centric health systems among the nations
The meet, which concluded on Thursday, adopted the 16th BRICS Health Ministerial Declaration, which reaffirmed the commitment of member countries to advancing Universal Health Coverage, strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, and promoting digital health
The meeting, which concluded under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, also adopted enhancing regulatory cooperation, expanding collaborative research, combating communicable and non-communicable diseases, promoting mental health and healthy lifestyles, strengthening traditional medicine, and ensuring equitable access to affordable medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and medical technologies
Virtually addressing the meeting, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said the active participation of member countries reflects the enduring strength of BRICS as a platform for advancing cooperation among the Global South
He observed that infectious diseases, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, climate-related health risks and rapid technological advancements require deeper multilateral cooperation and stronger institutional partnerships
Presenting India’s health priorities under BRICS Chairship, Nadda highlighted that BRICS countries collectively account for nearly half of the global tuberculosis burden and emphasized that continued strengthening of the BRICS TB Research Network would accelerate collaborative research, innovation, operational research and equitable access to new diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, thereby contributing significantly to global TB elimination efforts
He also underlined the importance of strengthening collaboration among BRICS medical products regulatory authorities
Stressing the importance of preparedness against future health emergencies, the health minister welcomed the establishment of the Sub-Working Group on the BRICS Integrated early warning system for prevention and response to mass infectious diseases and the adoption of its terms of reference as a significant milestone towards reinforcing regional and global health security
Highlighting the transformative role of digital technologies in healthcare, Nadda noted that India’s experience through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and the E-Sanjeevani telemedicine platform has demonstrated the immense potential of Digital Public Infrastructure to democratize healthcare delivery and improve access, particularly in remote and underserved areas
He also highlighted the growing burden of lifestyle-related and non-communicable diseases, and called for greater emphasis on preventive healthcare
Nadda welcomed the launch of the BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyle along with the BRICS Roadmap for Joint Initiative on Healthy Lifestyle Promotion (2026–2029), which seeks to promote healthy diets, regular physical activity, preservation of traditional food cultures and evidence-based behavioural change across BRICS nations
Recognising mental health as an essential pillar of Universal Health Coverage, Nadda said the establishment of the BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness, to be coordinated by NIMHANS, will be a major institutional initiative to strengthen research, promote mental well-being and narrow treatment gaps across member countries
The health minister also highlighted the adoption of the Operational Framework to Fight against Diseases Driven by Social Determinants of Health (DD-SDH) and the Operational Framework for the BRICS Network of National Public Health Institutes, which will provide a durable institutional framework for scientific collaboration, public health intelligence and multisectoral action to advance health equity
He also noted the deliberations on cooperation in BRICS Nuclear Medicine and continued support for the activities of the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre to strengthen collaborative research and improve equitable access to essential medical products
The 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ meeting, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” brought together health ministers, heads of delegation, senior officials and public health experts from BRICS member countries to strengthen cooperation in addressing shared public health priorities and advancing a resilient global health architecture.
BRICS
Health
JP Nadda
