India will host the 16th BRICS health ministers’ meeting starting Wednesday in Chandigarh. The three-day event aims to enhance cooperation among BRICS member countries on health security, digital health, pandemic readiness, and ensuring equal access to quality healthcare. Discussions will cover various areas including health security, pandemic preparedness, digital health, access to affordable medicines, traditional medicine, tuberculosis, mental wellness, and resilient health systems.
Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted the focus on strengthening collaboration in critical health sectors. The meeting will serve as a significant platform for BRICS nations to share knowledge and enhance cooperation on health priorities. The event will gather health ministers, senior officials, and experts from the 11 BRICS member countries.
The meeting schedule includes a senior officials’ meeting on Wednesday, followed by the BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting on Thursday, chaired by India’s Union Health Minister JP Nadda. India will also host a high-level side event on Friday, emphasizing the use of digital health infrastructure and responsible artificial intelligence to improve healthcare systems across BRICS countries. India has introduced two new priority areas, BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyle and Promotion of Mental Wellness, in addition to retaining existing priorities.
