- Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda addressed the meeting and welcomed health ministers, senior officials and public-health experts from BRICS countries.
- Theme was Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
- The purpose was to strengthen cooperation in healthcare, pandemic preparedness, digital health, medical research and Universal Health Coverage.
- BRICS countries unanimously adopted the 16th BRICS Health Ministerial Declaration.
- The declaration supports resilient, equitable and people-centred healthcare systems.
- It focuses on affordable medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, digital healthcare, mental health and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
- The countries supported strengthening the BRICS TB Research Network to promote research and accelerate tuberculosis elimination.
- A BRICS early-warning mechanism was supported to improve the detection of and response to large infectious-disease outbreaks.
- The BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyle and its roadmap for 2026–2029 were also launched.
- A BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness was established, with NIMHANS, India, as its coordinating centre.
Question:
Q1.Which institution will coordinate the BRICS Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness?a) AIIMS New Delhi
b) NIMHANS
c) WHO
d) ICMR
Answer: b) The BRICS countries agreed to establish a Network of Centres of Excellence on Mental Wellness, and India’s National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, or NIMHANS, was selected as its coordinating centre.
