New Delhi, India, 13 September 2026 – Health featured prominently at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, held under India’s presidency and the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to multilateral cooperation, sustainable development and improved health outcomes.
Addressing heads of state and government, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration and highlighted the central role of health in advancing the Summit’s priorities. He called for stronger investment in primary health care, pandemic preparedness, equitable access to health technologies and sustainable health financing. He also reinforced these messages in direct conversations with leaders of BRICS member, partner and outreach countries on the margins of the Summit.
Dr Tedros emphasized the importance of resilient health systems supported by strong surveillance, early warning and response capacities, and welcomed efforts to strengthen local and regional production of health products to improve equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments. He also welcomed support for concluding negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in preparing for future pandemics.
Building on the outcomes of the 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting in Chandigarh, leaders reaffirmed commitments to strengthen health systems, expand access to medicines and vaccines, advance digital health, address noncommunicable diseases and mental health, and improve preparedness for future health emergencies.
The Summit also endorsed several new mechanisms for health cooperation, including the BRICS Integrated Early Warning System, a strengthened Network of National Public Health Institutes, and new frameworks addressing social determinants of health and healthy lifestyles. Leaders further highlighted the potential of science, research, digital health and artificial intelligence to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.
As BRICS continues to expand its global reach, WHO looks forward to working with BRICS countries to translate these commitments into concrete action and advance health for all.