Social infrastructure within BRICS plays a critical role in promoting inclusive development through strengthening of health systems, improving education, enhancing food and nutritional security, and addressing health inequities among the vulnerable populations. The Culture, Health and Education Ministerial Track of BRICS cover social infrastructure.

BRICS has undertaken several initiatives in the social infrastructure domain including the BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases (SDDs)¹, BRICS Network of Human Milk Banks², BRICS University League, BRICS Working Group on Nuclear Medicine³, Collaborative Research Program for Tuberculosis⁴, BRICS TB Research Network, Emergency Assistance Program for COVID-19⁵, and BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre⁶. These initiatives promote cooperation in healthcare, education, research, and sustainable human development. The BRICS Network of Human Milk Banks focuses on expanding international technical cooperation and sharing knowledge and technologies related to neonatal nutrition, breastfeeding, and food security (BRICS Brazil, 2019b). 

The BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of SDDs has been established as an open and inclusive initiative aimed at enhancing cooperation, mobilising resources, and advancing collective efforts toward eliminating diseases linked to social determinants of health, particularly in the Global South (BRICS Brazil, 2025a). The focus areas include strengthening resilient health systems, promoting intersectoral action, expanding collaborative research and innovation, capacity building, technology transfer, and addressing financial barriers through engagement with development banks and financial institutions (BRICS Brazil, 2025a). 

Considering the importance of social infrastructure for development, BRICS continue to prioritise social infrastructure through various initiatives and cooperation mechanisms. 

As highlighted in its General Strategy for 2022-2026, Social Infrastructure is one of NDB’s key areas of operational priorities (NDB, 2022). By the end of December 31, 2025, the active project portfolio for social infrastructure is around USD 1.3 billion. NDB’s social infrastructure projects span across affordable housing, smart hospitals and educational infrastructures. 

As at the end of 2025, NDB’s active portfolio is expected to build or upgrade 15 schools, 35,000 housing units, and several health facilities, including a smart hospital in Brazil with leading digital technologies (NDB, 2026). Looking ahead, NDB will continue to focus on high-impact social infrastructure projects, prioritising investments in healthcare, elderly care, education, affordable housing, as well as initiatives that advance human development and promote social inclusion.

[1] BRICS Brazil (2025b)
[2] BRICS Brazil (2019a)
[3] BRICS South Africa (2023)
[4] BRICS Brazil (2019a)
[5] BRICS. (2019). Brasília Declaration. XI BRICS Summit, Brasília, Brazil.
[6] BRICS. (2022). Beijing Declaration. XIV BRICS Summit, Beijing, China.