Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda to Lay Foundation Stone of ICMR High Altitude Medicine Research Centre at Keylong on July 11.
Shimla:
Shimla/New Delhi:
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will lay the foundation stone of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh on July 11, marking a significant milestone in strengthening healthcare research and innovation in India’s Himalayan region.
The Centre, being established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, will upgrade ICMR’s existing field station at Keylong into a full-fledged multidisciplinary research hub dedicated to high altitude medicine, public health and climate-sensitive healthcare.
The new facility will be ICMR’s first dedicated centre focused exclusively on high altitude medicine and public health research. It is expected to play a pivotal role in generating scientific evidence and developing healthcare solutions tailored to the unique challenges faced by people living in mountainous and remote regions.
The Himalayan ecosystem presents distinct public health challenges due to high altitude, harsh climatic conditions, difficult terrain and increasing climate variability, all of which influence disease patterns, healthcare accessibility and emergency response systems. The Centre will undertake extensive research on high-altitude physiology and acclimatisation, mountain medicine, climate-sensitive and emerging diseases, infectious and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, nutrition, mental health, environmental and occupational health, and disaster medicine.
To improve healthcare delivery in remote regions, the Centre will also integrate advanced digital health technologies, including telemedicine, drone-enabled healthcare logistics and real-time public health surveillance systems.
Strategically located in the tribal and border district of Lahaul and Spiti, the Keylong Centre will provide year-round access to high-altitude populations, enabling long-term cohort studies and field-based research on environmental determinants of health. The research conducted at the Centre is expected to support national priorities in tribal healthcare, disaster preparedness, digital health innovation and climate-resilient healthcare systems, while also contributing to global scientific research in high altitude medicine.
The Centre will collaborate with the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Himachal Pradesh Government, and leading academic and research institutions in India and abroad. These partnerships are expected to promote translational research, policy support and the development of innovative healthcare solutions for mountain communities.
The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in health research and its broader commitment to building inclusive, resilient and climate-responsive healthcare systems.
The foundation stone ceremony on July 11 will feature a traditional Bhumi Pujan and groundbreaking ceremony, plantation of native Himalayan saplings under the Green ICMR Campus Initiative, a scientific exhibition, the launch of the Centre’s official website and an introductory film, besides the release of a commemorative postal special cover.
The event will be attended by Members of Parliament and the Legislative Assembly from the region, the Defence Secretary, the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh, senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, ICMR, the Armed Forces, partner institutions, scientists, public representatives and members of the local community.If needed, I can also make it more suitable for publication in a newspaper by using a stronger lead and a more concise inverted-pyramid style.
