COVID-19: PM Modi addresses SAARC countries

mangaloretoday.com/yahoo

New Delhi, March 15, 2020: Prime Minister Narendra Modi address SAARC leaders via video conferencing on measures to combat coronavirus pandemic.

All SAARC nations, including Pakistan, have responded positively to PM Modi’s appeal, hailing it as a welcome step at a time when the new coronavirus has infected 138,000 people globally and killed over 5,000.

As the world reels under the impact of the novel coronavirus disease, Covid-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to India’s immediate neighbours to come together in the fight against the pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing leaders of SAARC member nations proposed the creation of a Covid-19 Emergency Fund. "This could be based on voluntary contributions from all of us. India can start with an initial offer of 10 million US dollars for this fund," Prime Minister Modi said.

"We are assembling a rapid response team of doctors and specialists, testing kits and other equipment. They will be on standby and at your disposal when required," PM Modi told SAARC member nations. He further added that India can arrange online training capsules for emergency response teams based on models being used in India.

PM Modi said that an Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal (IDSP) can be shared with SAARC partners and a SAARC Disaster Management Centre should be referred to promote the best practices. "We should also look for the establishment of a common research platform. The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) can help in coordinating such an exercise. Our experts can calo help us understand the long-term economic consequences of Covid-19 and how to insulate internal trade," the prime minister said. Prime Minister Modi also stressed on the importance of this initiative by telling SAARC member nations, "This is nor the first, nor the last epidemic."