ICMR Lays Foundation Stone for High-Altitude Research Centre

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda laid the foundation stone for the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research on 12 October 2026 at Keylong in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district. The planned centre is ICMR’s first facility dedicated entirely to high-altitude medicine and public health research in India.

High-altitude health research

The centre will replace an ICMR field station at Keylong with a permanent, year-round institution equipped with laboratories and specialised personnel. Its research mandate covers the health effects of high altitude, low oxygen levels, extreme cold and changing climatic conditions. Studies are intended to address health needs of both civilian populations and Armed Forces personnel serving in high-altitude regions. Key research areas include altitude-related health risks, acclimatisation, maternal and newborn health, child growth and nutrition, and disease patterns in Himalayan communities. Acclimatisation is the process by which the body adjusts to environmental conditions such as reduced oxygen availability at altitude.

Institutional collaboration and technology

The project involves collaboration among ICMR, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) and AIIMS Bilaspur. AIIMS Bilaspur will participate in studies on the health effects of high-altitude conditions. The centre will also examine drone-enabled medicine delivery, digital health and artificial intelligence for healthcare access in remote areas. High altitude is associated with reduced atmospheric pressure and lower oxygen availability. Hypoxia refers to inadequate oxygen supply to body tissues, and it is a subject of research in high-altitude medicine. Research at the centre will include evidence on health conditions affecting residents and visitors in Himalayan regions.

High-altitude physiology and public health

High-altitude health research combines medical, physiological and public health approaches. Maternal and newborn health, child nutrition and infectious and non-communicable disease patterns are relevant areas of population health research in remote communities. The centre’s findings are intended to inform healthcare practices for high-altitude personnel and local populations.

Important Facts for Exams

• ICMR is India’s national body for the coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
• AFMS provides medical services to personnel of the Indian Armed Forces.
• Hypoxia means an inadequate supply of oxygen to body tissues.
• Acclimatisation involves physiological adjustment to environmental conditions, including reduced oxygen availability at altitude.

The centre is located at Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh, and will focus on civilian as well as military health research.