India Spearheads Covid-19 Management Action Plan For SAARC Members

Indian PM, Narendra Modi’s suggestion towards Covid-19 management has been accepted and appreciated by arch-enemy like Pakistan. A committee has been formed to lead the recovery efforts that are being led by India. The participating countries included are ten in number. These are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka.

The coronavirus vaccine from India itself has supplied many of these countries. Mr. Narendra Modi’s proposal included five solid suggestions of which issuance of visa for emergency doctors and air ambulance service in contingency has been well received. 

In a formal statement, he said, “Can we consider creating a special visa scheme for our doctors and nurses, so that they can travel quickly within our region during health emergencies, on the request of the receiving country? Can our Civil Aviation ministries coordinate a regional Air Ambulance agreement for medical contingencies?”

Going further, he has asked for the creation of a regional platform for collating, compiling and studying data about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among our populations. He has also requested that a regional network for promoting technology-assisted epidemiology should also be created in order to prevent future pandemics. Beyond COVID-19, Modi further suggested that the members of the committee share ‘our successful public health policies and schemes.’

While the last one might not get approvals from everyone, the first two suggestions are seeing mass approval. Barring Mauritius and Seychelles, all the others are SAARC members and therefore share similar thoughts on economic and environmental issues. 

The suggestions come as a part of a workshop that was organized to share best practices in health care and management. It was attended by Health Secretaries and above-level brass for various nations. From Pakistan was Special Assistant to Pak Prime Minister (SAPM) on health Faisal Sultan attending.