Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare chaired First Health Working Group (HWG) Meeting under the BRICS framework for 2026 in New Delhi. The meeting brought together senior health officials, technical experts, and delegates from all BRICS member countries– Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia to deliberate on priority areas of cooperation in public health.
India as BRICS Chair 2026
As the BRICS Chair for 2026, India is guided by the overarching theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”– reflecting a people-centric and humanity-first approach articulated by Prime Minister at the 2025 Rio Summit. The theme underscores India’s commitment to strengthening collaborative frameworks that are responsive, inclusive, and future-ready.
Nine Priority Areas Under BRICS Health Working Group
The meeting identified nine priority areas for health cooperation among BRICS nations:
- BRICS TB Research Network
- Collaboration among BRICS Medical Products Regulatory Authorities
- BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for prevention and response to mass infectious diseases
- Digital Health Architecture for continuum of care, including specialised healthcare in remote areas
- BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyles
- Promotion of Mental Health and Wellness
- Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM)
- Fight against Diseases Driven by Social Determinants of Health (DDSDH)
- BRICS Network of National Public Health Institutes
These areas aim to strengthen cooperation in research, innovation, regulatory harmonisation, digital health, and equitable healthcare delivery, while reinforcing collective preparedness and resilience among BRICS nations.
Two new priority areas were proposed under India’s Chairship:
- BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyles: It is aimed at promoting healthy behaviours and addressing key risk factors such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and harmful use of alcohol
- Promotion of Mental Health and Wellness: It focuses on strengthening mental health services, addressing stigma, and integrating mental health into broader public health frameworks.