Curtain Raiser

Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda is set to lay the foundation stone for the ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research (ICMR-CHAMP) at Keylong in the Lahaul & Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. Established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the centre is designed to address distinctive public health challenges in India's Himalayan region stemming from high altitude, extreme climate, and geographical isolation. Its mandate covers high-altitude physiology, mountain medicine, climate-sensitive diseases, maternal and child health, and disaster medicine, while incorporating digital health, telemedicine, and drone-enabled logistics. The facility will also engage in collaborative partnerships with the Armed Forces Medical Services and the Government of Himachal Pradesh.