BRICS Leaders Put Health at the Heart of New Delhi Summit’s Push for Lasting Change

Support for completing negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing, or PABS, annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement was another significant part of the Summit’s health agenda.

Access to reliable health care, affordable medicines and better protection against future pandemics took a prominent place at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where leaders connected people's health with the wider challenges of sustainable development. Held under India's presidency with the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", the Summit reaffirmed support for multilateral cooperation and stronger health systems, bringing everyday concerns about treatment and care into discussions about the group's shared future.

Bringing Better Care Within Everyone's Reach

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration in his address to heads of state and government, stressing that progress on health would support each of the Summit's priorities. His call for greater investment in primary health care placed attention on the services people need close to home, particularly in remote areas and communities facing difficulties accessing treatment. Sustainable health financing and equitable access to health technologies were central to his message, reflecting the need for dependable services that can meet everyday needs and cope with emergencies.

Conversations with leaders from BRICS member, partner and outreach countries on the margins of the Summit gave Dr Tedros further opportunities to press these priorities. The commitments built on the outcomes of the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting in Chandigarh, where countries backed stronger health systems, wider access to medicines and vaccines, and progress in digital health. Leaders reaffirmed the importance of addressing noncommunicable diseases and mental health, giving these continuing care needs a place alongside preparations for future health emergencies.

Preparing for Outbreaks Before They Spread

Stronger surveillance, early warning and response capacities formed a major part of the discussions on resilient health systems, with leaders endorsing the BRICS Integrated Early Warning System and a strengthened Network of National Public Health Institutes. These mechanisms offer a foundation for closer cooperation in identifying health threats and organising responses, making preparedness a shared responsibility across countries. Dr Tedros welcomed efforts to expand local and regional production of health products, connecting more dependable supplies with fairer access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.

Support for completing negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing, or PABS, annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement was another significant part of the Summit's health agenda. Dr Tedros welcomed that support and underscored the importance of international cooperation in preparing for future pandemics. The emphasis on preparedness, production and access brought attention to an essential challenge for governments: ensuring that the ability to protect people during a crisis does not depend on where they live or the resources available to their country.

Turning Research and Shared Promises Into Better Health

New frameworks addressing social determinants of health and healthy lifestyles broadened the Summit's focus to the conditions that influence people's well-being beyond the clinic. Leaders highlighted the potential of science, research, digital health and artificial intelligence to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage, placing innovation within a wider commitment to make care more accessible. As BRICS expands its global reach, WHO expressed its readiness to work with participating countries to turn these commitments into concrete action, with improved health outcomes and health for all as the shared purpose.