India is set to strengthen healthcare and scientific research in Himalayan regions as the country’s first ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research will be established in Keylong, Himachal Pradesh.

BulletsIn

• Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will lay the foundation stone of India’s first ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at Keylong on July 11, 2026.
• The centre will be developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research under the Department of Health Research, transforming the existing Keylong field station into a multidisciplinary research and innovation hub.
• The institute will focus on high-altitude physiology, acclimatisation, mountain medicine, climate-sensitive diseases, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, nutrition, and mental health.
• Advanced healthcare technologies including telemedicine, digital health solutions, drone-enabled medical logistics, and real-time public health surveillance will be integrated to improve healthcare delivery in remote Himalayan regions.
• Located in the strategically significant Lahaul-Spiti district, the centre will conduct long-term scientific studies on high-altitude environments, tribal populations, and climate-related health challenges.
• Research outcomes are expected to strengthen India’s programmes on tribal healthcare, disaster preparedness, climate-resilient healthcare, and digital public health systems while contributing to global mountain medicine research.
• The institute will collaborate with the Armed Forces Medical Services, DRDO, Himachal Pradesh Government, and leading academic institutions to promote advanced medical research and innovation.
• The foundation stone ceremony will include traditional rituals, plantation of native Himalayan saplings, a scientific exhibition, launch of the centre’s official website, an introductory film, and the release of a commemorative postal special cover.