An India-centric American pharma sector advocacy group has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s action plan to combat the novel coronavirus with SAARC leaders, saying that his strategy to take proactive steps with graded response is a smart approach to tackle this unprecedented situation.
In a video-conference of SAARC members on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi proposed setting up a COVID-19 emergency fund with India committing USD 10 million initially for it, and asserted that the best way to deal with the pandemic was by coming together and not growing apart.
Apart from Modi, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Bhutanese premier Lotay Tshering, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Special Assistant to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza participated in the video-conference.
“Prime Minister Modi’s views and action plan to combat the novel coronavirus with SAARC leaders is laudable. His strategy to take proactive steps with graded response is a smart approach to tackle this complex and unprecedented situation,” said Karun Rishi, president of USA India Chamber of Commerce (USAIC).
Several other steps suggested by the prime minister such as: collaboration not confusion, creating common research platform to control epidemics, and evolving a common strategy can definitely set an example to the world, and contribute to a healthier planet, Rishi said in a statement.
The deadly virus, which originated in China’s Wuhan city in December, has claimed over 6,500 lives and infected more than 169,000 people over 135 countries and territories.