Chandigarh

The 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting was held here on Thursday under India's BRICS Chairship 2026, with major outcome being the unanimous adoption of the Health Ministerial Declaration, reflecting the shared commitment of BRICS countries to deepen health cooperation and strengthen resilient, equitable and people-centric health systems.

The meeting 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.

Convened under India's BRICS Chairship theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," the Meeting provided a platform for member countries to deliberate on key health challenges and reaffirm their collective commitment towards strengthening health systems, promoting innovation, enhancing pandemic preparedness and advancing Universal Health Coverage through sustained cooperation.

A major outcome of the Meeting was the unanimous adoption of the 16th BRICS Health Ministerial Declaration, reflecting the shared commitment of BRICS countries to deepen health cooperation and strengthen resilient, equitable and people-centric health systems.

The declaration reaffirmed the commitment of member countries to advancing Universal Health Coverage, strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, promoting digital health, 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.

As part of its BRICS chairship 2026, India is hosting the sixteenth BRICS Health Ministers' meeting here from July 22-24. The Ministerial meeting was held on Thursday. BRICS is a multilateral organisation comprising major emerging economies, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

On Tuesday, India successfully hosted the BRICS meeting on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) here, as part of its BRICS 2026 chairship. The meeting formed part of the broader four-day programme of BRICS Health Track events in Chandigarh.

Addressing the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting virtually, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, welcomed the Health Ministers, Heads of Delegation and senior officials from BRICS member and partner countries to Chandigarh and thanked them for their continued engagement throughout India's BRICS Chairship, an official statement said.

He noted that the active participation of member countries reflects the enduring strength of BRICS as a platform for advancing cooperation among the Global South.

Nadda stated that, 'Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has undertaken transformative reforms to strengthen its healthcare system through people-centric policies, expanded healthcare access, digital public infrastructure and enhanced service delivery'.

He observed that India's experience has reinforced the belief that resilient public health systems and equitable healthcare are essential for sustainable development across nations.

Highlighting the evolution of BRICS over the past two decades, Nadda noted that the grouping has emerged as a defining voice of the Global South and an increasingly influential platform in shaping a more inclusive and equitable global order.

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.

Referring to India's BRICS Chairship theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," the Minister emphasized that the future of global health depends on building resilient health systems capable of anticipating and responding effectively to emerging public health challenges.

Recognising mental health as an essential pillar of Universal Health Coverage, Nadda announced the establishment of the BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness, to be coordinated by NIMHANS, as a major institutional initiative to strengthen research, promote mental well-being and narrow treatment gaps across member countries.

He 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.

The Ministerial deliberations were centred around the nine priority areas identified under India's BRICS Chairship, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening health systems and addressing emerging public health challenges through cooperation and knowledge exchange.

Member countries reaffirmed their support for the BRICS TB Research Network to foster collaborative research, innovation and knowledge sharing aimed at accelerating progress towards tuberculosis elimination.

Discussions also focused on enhancing collaboration among BRICS Medical Products Regulatory Authorities to facilitate regulatory convergence, strengthen regulatory systems and improve access to safe, effective and quality-assured medical products.

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Health Ministers and delegates also visited the FSSAI, NHA and Ministry of AYUSH exhibition pavilions, including the FSSAI live millet session under the Eat Right India initiative, showcasing India's initiatives in digital health, traditional medicine, food safety and healthy lifestyles.