BRICS 2026: A New Health Cooperation Era

The Union Health Ministry, under India's 2026 BRICS chairship, led the inaugural Health Working Group Meeting. It emphasized resilience, innovation, and collaboration in public health among BRICS nations. Key areas include pandemic preparedness, health technology, and equitable medicine access, with new focuses on healthy lifestyles and mental wellness.

The Union Ministry of Health chaired the inaugural BRICS Health Working Group Meeting for 2026, focusing on public health collaboration. The meeting, held virtually, saw participation from senior health officials and experts representing BRICS countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, among others.

Highlighting the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability,' Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava emphasized the significance of cooperation in health challenges such as diseases, health systems strengthening, and affordable medicine accessibility. The efforts target pandemic preparedness, innovative health technologies, and promoting universal health coverage.

The meeting proposed two new initiatives: a Healthy Lifestyles mission to combat key risk factors, and a Mental Health and Wellness mission. India's priorities include traditional medicine's role in health coverage and sustainable development, seeking enhanced international cooperation. Active engagement and translating commitments into tangible outcomes were encouraged.

(With inputs from agencies.)