Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research (ICMR-CHAMP) in Keylong, Lahaul and Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh on October 12. The proposed facility will be India’s first dedicated centre for high-altitude medicine and public health research aimed at strengthening healthcare preparedness, scientific research and innovation across the Himalayan region. The centre is being established by ICMR under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It will upgrade the existing ICMR field station at Keylong into a multidisciplinary hub for research, innovation and capacity-building focused on high-altitude and climate-sensitive regions.
The initiative addresses the distinctive healthcare challenges of the Himalayan ecosystem where extreme temperatures, high altitude, difficult terrain, geographical isolation and increasing climate variability influence disease patterns, access to medical services and emergency response. The centre is expected to generate region-specific scientific evidence and develop practical healthcare solutions for communities living and working in these challenging environments.
The proposed centre will undertake research across a broad range of medical and public health disciplines including high-altitude physiology and acclimatisation, mountain medicine, infectious and non-communicable diseases, climate-sensitive and emerging infections, maternal and child health, nutrition, mental health, environmental and occupational health and disaster medicine.
High-altitude research is particularly important because reduced oxygen availability, severe weather and prolonged exposure to challenging environmental conditions can affect human physiology and increase healthcare risks. Research at Keylong is expected to improve understanding of these health challenges and contribute to better prevention, diagnosis, treatment and emergency-care strategies for people living in mountainous regions.
Digital Health and Disaster Preparedness
A key component of the proposed centre will be the integration of digital health technologies into healthcare delivery in remote and difficult-to-access areas. The facility is expected to explore telemedicine, digital health platforms, drone-enabled healthcare logistics and real-time public health surveillance to improve access to medical services and strengthen emergency response.
These technologies could be particularly valuable in mountain communities where road connectivity, adverse weather and long travel distances can delay access to medicines, diagnostic services and specialist consultations. Research in this area may also help develop more effective models for delivering healthcare during natural disasters and other emergencies.
Collaboration with Defence and Research Institutions
The centre is expected to develop institutional collaborations with the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Himachal Pradesh government, and academic and research institutions in India and abroad. These partnerships are intended to support scientific exchange, translational research, capacity-building and evidence-based policymaking.
Given the strategic location of the Himalayan region, research into high-altitude health has relevance for civilian populations as well as personnel working in demanding mountain environments. Collaboration between medical researchers, public health experts and defence institutions could strengthen understanding of altitude-related illnesses, environmental health risks and emergency medical preparedness.
The initiative is also aligned with the government’s broader priorities of strengthening self-reliance in health research improving tribal healthcare and developing climate-resilient and inclusive health systems.
