New Delhi, September 13 (Daily Kiran) : Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the warm welcome he received at the 2026 BRICS Summit held in New Delhi. He praised BRICS for its commitment to strengthening global health cooperation and advancing the goal of “Health for All.”
In a post on social media platform X, Ghebreyesus thanked Modi and highlighted the strong support shown by BRICS leaders for the WHO and multilateralism. He noted that the “New Delhi Declaration” emphasized universal health coverage, robust and resilient health systems, and the successful completion of negotiations on pathogen access and benefit-sharing under the pandemic agreement.
The declaration, adopted during the 18th BRICS Summit, reaffirmed the commitment to enhancing cooperation in global health initiatives. It also reiterated the importance of a flexible, inclusive, and people-centered approach to advance universal health coverage.
The leaders acknowledged the need for continuous collaboration among BRICS nations, sharing experiences, innovations, and best practices to improve health outcomes. They emphasized the critical coordinating role of the WHO in maintaining and strengthening multilateral cooperation in health.
Additionally, BRICS leaders welcomed the outcomes of the 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ meeting held in Chandigarh in July. They identified tuberculosis (TB) as a serious challenge to global public health, stressing the need for coordinated action, sustained investment, research, and effective exchange of experiences and innovations to combat it.
The declaration highlighted the vital role of countries and institutions in the fight against TB, calling for united efforts in mutual cooperation, technology sharing, and promoting TB research.
Meanwhile, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), also expressed gratitude to PM Modi for his support of the multilateral trading system and WTO reforms following their discussions. She noted that their meaningful conversation covered opportunities and challenges related to reforms within the organization.
As the 2026 BRICS chair, India is hosting the two-day summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, which commenced on Saturday. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India’s presidency is guided by the theme of “Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability,” reflecting Modi’s vision of a people-centered approach based on the principle of “Humanity First.”
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