TEHRAN – An Iranian delegation led by Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi is participating in the 16th BRICS Health Ministerial Meeting being held in Chandigarh, India, from July 21 to 25.

The event is bringing together BRICS nations to deepen cooperation, exchange best practices, and shape the future of resilient, innovative, and sustainable healthcare.

It serves as a great opportunity to strengthen ties with BRICS member states and explore potential to expand cooperation, particularly in pharmaceutical raw materials, health technologies, and medical equipment, IRNA quoted Ali Jafarian, an official with the health ministry, as saying.

The Iranian delegation represents different health sectors including Persian medicine, mental health, communicable diseases, and international affairs.

The health minister is scheduled to hold meetings with his counterparts from member states, such as India, Russia, and China.

Given the illegal sanctions imposed on the country, Iran intends to leverage BRICS member states' capacity to facilitate access to essential healthcare supplies.

Chandigarh is hosting the BRICS health ministerial meeting and the BRICS meeting on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM), the Times of India reported.

The five-day programme, from July 21 to 25, is being held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

A major highlight will be the high-level ‘Health Without Borders’ conference, featuring 26 technical sessions involving ministers, policymakers, public health experts and researchers from participating countries.

Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine will be at the centre of the Chandigarh deliberations. The ministry of Ayush will lead discussions on integrating traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare and strengthening international cooperation through evidence-based practices.

Participating countries are expected to finalise the Terms of Reference for a BRICS expert working group on TCIM, paving the way for collaboration in research, clinical validation, digital knowledge-sharing, regulatory harmonisation and protection of traditional medical knowledge.

The health ministerial meeting will also review progress on nine priority areas under the BRICS health agenda, including preventive healthcare, mental health, pandemic preparedness, tuberculosis research, digital health architecture, regulatory convergence for medicines and strategies to tackle diseases linked to social and economic determinants of health.

Boosting health ties with BRICS counterparts

In May, Zafarqandi explored avenues to expand cooperation with his counterparts from BRICS member states in different fields of the health sector.

Zafarqandi held several meetings on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA), which is being held from May 18 to June 23 in Geneva, Switzerland, IRNA reported.

Holding a meeting with the Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Zafarqandi highlighted the role of India in the pharmaceutical industry and emphasized the need for the enhancement of ties in the field of health.

For his part, Prakash Nadda expounded on India’s capacity in the health sector and announced the country’s readiness to maintain and promote cooperation with Iran.

The two sides agreed to form a joint committee to follow up on the development of academic, medical, and pharmaceutical ties.

Also, Zafarqandi held meetings with his Russian, Brazilian, Chinese, South African, Egyptian, and Ethiopian counterparts, elaborating on the impacts of the US-Israeli war on the country’s civilian and health infrastructures, while discussing ways to enhance collaboration among the BRICS member states in the health sector.