Member states endorse initiatives on healthy lifestyles, mental well-being and traditional medicine

India has officially launched its BRICS 2026 health agenda, convening the first meeting of the BRICS Health Working Group and introducing new proposals aimed at strengthening cooperation in public health among member states, reports ANI, a partner of TV BRICS.

The meeting brought together senior health officials, technical experts and delegates from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia. Discussions focused on identifying priority areas for collaboration to enhance healthcare systems and improve global health security.

Opening the session, Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary at India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, emphasised that India’s presidency would prioritise inclusive, sustainable and evidence-based health cooperation while recognising the diversity of healthcare systems and socio-economic contexts across BRICS nations. She highlighted the importance of adaptability, mutual learning and leveraging collective expertise to design scalable, high-impact health interventions.

A key proposal presented by India was the BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyles, aimed at addressing major risk factors such as unhealthy diets and physical inactivity. The initiative seeks to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases across member countries.

India also proposed prioritising the promotion of mental health and wellbeing, focusing on strengthening mental health services and integrating mental healthcare into broader public health frameworks.

Another significant area of emphasis was evidence-based traditional medicine, rooted in biodiversity and indigenous knowledge systems. India underscored its potential contribution to Universal Health Coverage and sustainable development, calling for enhanced international cooperation in this field.

In addition to these proposals, the meeting reviewed ongoing and future collaborative initiatives, including:

• Cooperation among BRICS Medical Product Regulatory Authorities;
• An integrated early warning system for the prevention and response to large-scale infectious disease outbreaks;
• The development of a digital health architecture to ensure continuity of care;
• The BRICS Network of National Public Health Institutes.

These priority areas are designed to strengthen cooperation in research, innovation, regulatory harmonisation, digital health, and equitable healthcare delivery, while enhancing collective preparedness and resilience among BRICS nations.

Delegations from the BRICS countries expressed strong support for the newly proposed priorities, particularly those related to healthy lifestyles, mental wellbeing, and the integration of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine into national health systems.

The meeting concluded with consensus on key deliverables and a roadmap for future collaboration, including technical consultations and ministerial-level discussions under the BRICS Health Initiative 2026.

African Times published this article in partnership with International Media Network TV BRICS