India hosted the 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting in Chandigarh from 22–24 July 2026 under its BRICS Chairship; the 11-member grouping adopted the 16th BRICS Health Ministerial Declaration.
Key outcomes
- Declaration core themes: Universal Health Coverage, pandemic preparedness, digital health, equitable access to medicines, mental wellness.
- Dates & venue: 22–24 July 2026, Chandigarh.
- Membership: BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa plus Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Indonesia (post‑expansion).
NIMHANS and Mental Wellness Initiative
- NIMHANS role: National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru named coordinating institution for the BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness.
- Network focus: Collaborative research, capacity building, standardised protocols for mental health services across member states.
Digital Health, Pandemic Preparedness and Traditional Medicine
- High‑level dialogue: Scheduled on interoperable digital health infrastructure and responsible artificial intelligence (24 July 2026).
- Interoperability defined: Ability of different health IT systems to exchange and use patient data across institutions and countries.
- Traditional medicine working group: Approved to cover systems such as Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Unani and Siddha.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- NIMHANS full form: National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences; an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare framework.
- Digital health components: Electronic health records, telemedicine, health information exchange, AI‑enabled decision support.
- Pandemic preparedness elements: Surveillance, laboratory networks, vaccine access, integrated response protocols.