New Delhi: India hosted the first health working group meeting of 2026 in the national capital on Wednesday, proposing greater focus on mental health and healthy lifestyles under the BRICS presidency.The meeting brought together senior health officials from the BRICS, which includes major emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, as well as partner countries, to discuss cooperation on key public health challenges.
Emphasizing on a preventive and people-centred approach, India has introduced two new priority areas – BRICS Healthy Lifestyles Mission and Promotion of Mental Health and Wellness – aimed at addressing risk factors such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, smoking and stress.Union Health Minister Punya Salila Srivastava said the health working group will focus on building resilient and adaptive health systems through collaboration, mutual learning and evidence-based decision-making, while recognizing the diverse needs of member states.The discussion also reaffirmed current priorities, including the BRICS Tuberculosis Research Network, cooperation on the regulation of medical products, digital health systems and infectious disease early warning mechanisms.Officials stressed the importance of strengthening health systems, improving access to affordable medicines and vaccines, and strengthening collaboration on research and innovation.Member states expressed support for the priorities set out by India and highlighted the need for deeper collaboration on tuberculosis, equitable access to health technologies and addressing broader social determinants of health.At the end of the meeting, a roadmap for future cooperation under the “BRICS Health Track 2026” was agreed, focusing on cooperation, innovation and strengthening public health systems among member countries.
