India Hosts BRICS Senior Officials Meeting on Health in Chandigarh
UPSC / SSC current affairs note
Why in news
India, as BRICS chair, hosted the senior officials meeting in Chandigarh under the BRICS Health Ministerial meetings. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation to address global public health challenges through innovation and consensus-based solutions.
Background
BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies. India holds the presidency for 2026, and the health track is one of its key priorities.
Key facts
The senior officials meeting was held in Chandigarh on 22 July 2026 under India's BRICS presidency.
Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava inaugurated the meeting.
India identified nine priority areas under the BRICS Health Track to build resilient and inclusive health systems.
Priority areas include strengthening health infrastructure, enhancing preparedness for health emergencies, leveraging digital health, integrating traditional medicine, strengthening regulatory frameworks, developing health workforce, promoting collaborative R&D, and ensuring equitable access to health services.
India highlighted two key initiatives: BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyles and proposed BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence for Mental Health.
The meeting aimed to finalize the draft BRICS Health Ministers' Declaration for adoption at the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting.
India emphasized cooperation in nuclear medicine and support for the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre.
The expanded BRICS represents a significant share of global population, scientific expertise, and manufacturing capacity.
Prelims pointers
- BRICS Health Track
- BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyles
- BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence for Mental Health
- BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre
- 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting
- Chandigarh
Mains angles
- Discuss the role of BRICS in shaping global health governance and India's leadership.
- Critically examine the challenges in achieving consensus-based solutions in BRICS health cooperation.
- Evaluate the potential of traditional medicine integration in public health systems within BRICS.