India's first high-altitude medical and public health research centre

• To promote scientific research on the health issues faced by people living in high-altitude mountainous regions, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will establish the country's first High-Altitude Medical and Public Health Research Centre at Keylong in the Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

• For this purpose, the existing ICMR field station will be expanded and modernized to develop it into a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary research centre.

• The primary objective of this centre is to study the health impacts on populations residing in high-altitude areas, develop scientific solutions for the prevention and treatment of altitude-related illnesses, and enhance the effectiveness of public health services.

• Additionally, the centre will play a pivotal role in modern medical research, health policy formulation, and the development of improved healthcare facilities for high-altitude mountainous regions.