16th BRICS Health Ministers' meeting ends; "working group on traditional medicine" approved: MoS Jadhav
Chandigarh, July 23
Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pratap Rao Jadhav on Thursday said that BRICS countries have approved the formation of a working group on traditional medicine to strengthen cooperation and promote traditional healthcare systems globally.
Speaking to the media personnel on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting in Chandigarh, Jadhav said the decision was taken unanimously by all participating countries.
"It was decided by all the countries participating in BRICS to form a working group on traditional medicine and to promote it," Jadhav said.
Calling traditional medicine India's ancient contribution to the world, he said, "This traditional medicine is an Indian discovery. Our sages and saints discovered it 5000 years ago. Be it yoga, Ayurveda, or traditional healing methods, all are prevalent in our country, and the whole world also accepts it."
Highlighting the growth of the Ayush Sector, Jadhav said India's exports have increased nearly tenfold over the past decade. He said, "In the last 10-12 years, our exports have increased by almost 10 times and in the recent global summit held with WHO, representatives from 127 countries had come there, and everyone wants that there should be Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy in their country too."
Jadhav added, "Through our Ministry, we are working towards fulfilling the wish of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Ayush should spread across the world."
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said the two-day ministerial meeting witnessed participation from 11 BRICS member states and 10 partner countries, with discussions spanning nine priority areas.
Speaking to the mediapersonnel, Patel said, "There are 11 member states and also 10 partner countries. Over the course of two days, we have seen great participation."
She said that the meeting focused on issues including the BRICS TB Research Network, digital health architecture and traditional and integrative medicine systems.
Patel said, "There are 9 priority areas of discussion, including our TB research network, the creation of digital health architecture, and also discussing our traditional and integrative medicine systems. India has introduced two new forward-looking initiatives this time - BRICS Mission for a Healthy Lifestyle, and BRICS network of Centre of Excellence for tackling mental care illnesses."
Highlighting the significance of the grouping, Patel said, "BRICS countries constitute 50 per cent of the total world's population and also contribute to 40 per cent of the world's GDP. So the idea behind this forum is to translate these trends that exist in the BRICS countries into actionable outcomes."
She added that the grouping is committed to ensuring healthcare reaches all sections of society. Patel said, "We will attain the target of universal health coverage, which is not a privilege, but a right that we want to extend to every single citizen, especially the vulnerable populations in all the BRICS countries."
The 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting concluded successfully in Chandigarh on Thursday under India's BRICS Chairship 2026, with member countries reaffirming their commitment to strengthening health systems, pandemic preparedness, digital health and Universal Health Coverage.
The meeting brought together Health Ministers, Heads of Delegation, senior officials and public health experts from BRICS member countries to deliberate on shared public health priorities and ways to advance a resilient and equitable global health architecture.Addressing the meeting virtually, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda welcomed the Health Ministers and delegates and said the active participation of member countries reflected the enduring strength of BRICS as a platform for cooperation among the Global South.
Nadda said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has undertaken transformative reforms to strengthen its healthcare system through people-centric policies, expanded access to healthcare, digital public infrastructure and enhanced service delivery.
Highlighting India's BRICS Chairship theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," Nadda stressed the need to build resilient health systems capable of anticipating and responding effectively to emerging public health challenges.
He highlighted India's health priorities under its BRICS Chairship, including strengthening the BRICS TB Research Network, enhancing cooperation among Medical Products Regulatory Authorities and improving preparedness against future health emergencies.
The Minister welcomed the establishment of the Sub-Working Group on the BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for Prevention and Response to Mass Infectious Diseases and the adoption of its Terms of Reference.
Recognising the growing burden of lifestyle-related and non-communicable diseases, the meeting also welcomed the launch of the BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyle and the BRICS Roadmap for Joint Initiative on Healthy Lifestyle Promotion (2026-2029).
Nadda announced the establishment of the BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness, to be coordinated by NIMHANS, as an institutional initiative to strengthen research and promote mental well-being across member countries.
A major outcome of the meeting was the unanimous adoption of the 16th BRICS Health Ministerial Declaration, reflecting the shared commitment to deepen health cooperation and strengthen resilient, equitable and people-centric health systems.
— ANI
Reader Comments
India leading in Yoga and Ayurveda is no surprise - our ancestors were geniuses. But I want to know how this working group will help common people in villages who actually use these traditional methods daily. Will it make medicines cheaper and more accessible? 🤔
Great initiative! But I hope the digital health architecture they're discussing actually addresses rural India's connectivity issues. We have villages where even basic internet is a problem - just dumping tech won't work without infrastructure. Also, mental wellness centers are much needed, but please ensure they are affordable.
As someone from Canada, this is fascinating! We have been exploring integrative medicine for chronic conditions. India's traditional systems have a lot to offer the world. However, I hope there will be proper regulation and quality control - we've seen too many cases of unverified "traditional" products being sold abroad without proper standards.
Proud moment for India! 🇮🇳 But let's be honest - while yoga has gone global, Ayurveda still faces hurdles like lack of standardization and scientific validation. The government must invest in high-quality research institutes to prove efficacy. Also, why is TB research still a priority when we haven't eradicated it from our own country? Priorities need balancing.
Interesting development from the 16th BRICS meeting. The focus on universal health coverage is admirable given BRICS countries represent half the world's population. I'm curious how they'll integrate traditional medicine with modern protocols without creating confusion. Also, mental health centers of excellence are desperately needed globally - mental health has been neglected for too long.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.