Health Minister Nadda Lays Foundation Stone of ICMR High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research Centre at Keylong

Key facts

• Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda performed the Bhumi Pujan and laid the foundation stone of the ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at Keylong, Himachal Pradesh on 12 October 2026.
• The Centre is being established through collaboration between ICMR, the Armed Forces Medical Services and AIIMS Bilaspur, with Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth attending as Guest of Honour.
• Built on an ICMR field station set up at Keylong nearly a decade ago, the Centre will be a permanent, year-round institution with state-of-the-art laboratories and specialised human resources.
• The Centre's research will focus on altitude-related health risks, acclimatisation, maternal and newborn health, child growth and nutrition, and disease patterns in Himalayan communities, benefiting both Armed Forces personnel and civilians.
• The Centre will also examine emerging technologies including drone-enabled medicine delivery, digital health and artificial intelligence to improve healthcare access in remote areas.
• The resulting evidence is expected to support health services for communities in Himalayan and border regions including Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
• During the event, Nadda planted native Himalayan saplings under the Green ICMR Campus Initiative, inaugurated a scientific exhibition for school students, launched the Centre's website and institutional video, and released a commemorative postal special cover.