The 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting concluded on Thursday in Chandigarh under India’s chairship, bringing 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.
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.
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.
Addressing the meeting virtually, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda welcomed 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. 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.
The Union Health Minister 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 said 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, the minister emphasised that the future of global health depends on building resilient health systems capable of anticipating and responding effectively to emerging public health challenges. Presenting India’s health priorities under its BRICS chairship, Nadda highlighted that BRICS countries collectively account for nearly half of the global tuberculosis burden and emphasised 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 and welcomed the release of the BRICS GxP White Paper, describing it as an important step towards enhancing regulatory excellence, harmonisation, capacity building and ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products.
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 democratise healthcare delivery and improve access, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
He also welcomed the release of the BRICS Compendium on Digital Health Architecture for Continuum of Care, including access to healthcare in remote areas, describing it as a valuable knowledge resource for facilitating cooperation, exchange of best practices and mutual learning among BRICS countries.
The minister further noted that the growing burden of lifestyle-related diseases and non-communicable diseases calls for greater emphasis on preventive healthcare and 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.
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