New Delhi: Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday reiterated that Indian scientists are working to discover COVID-19 vaccine, drugs besides cost-effective diagnostic kits and various life-saving equipment.
“We need to mutually support and share our best practices and explore innovative ways to address new threats and challenges in the post COVID era,” said Dr Vardhan while addressing the 32nd Commonwealth Health Ministers’ meeting through Video Conference from New Delhi.
He further added, “It is important to facilitate universal and affordable access to all relevant medical products and technologies, both existing and new. These should be made available in a fair and equitable manner to tackle COVID-19.”
As a mark of solidarity, India has provided essential medicines such as HydroxyChloroquine to almost 100 needy countries.
“India has been the first country to urge consolidated global action to fight the challenge of COVID-19,” he said.
It is critical to build and strengthen core capacities of developing countries particularly the least developed countries for future preparedness, response and resilience, he added.
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Dr Vardhan said that India undertook COVID-19 management with the highest level of political commitment by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under his guidance, India’s response to Covid-19 has been pro-active, pre-emptive and graded.
“India took all necessary and timely steps including surveillance at points of entry, evacuation of our nationals abroad, surveillance in the community through disease surveillance network, health infrastructure strengthening, training and capacity building of health staff, risk communication and community involvement as part of its management efforts,” said Dr Vardhan.
Referring to the implementation of the lockdown to prevent the spread of this pandemic, Dr Vardhan said, “We are aiming to protect lives by mitigating the explosive growth of the disease and by ensuring that our healthcare system is able to cope up with the growth of the disease. At the same time, we are also mindful of saving lives as well as livelihoods and are therefore keeping all essential services out of the purview of the lockdown.”
