Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested a special visa scheme for doctors, nurses for quick travel during health emergencies at the Covid workshop with 10 countries.

He asked the leaders of neighbouring countries to maintain a cooperative and collaborative spirit in the development of vaccines against coronavirus as he addressed a workshop on "Covid-19 Management: Experience, Good Practices and Way Forward" recently.

Asking the countries to raise the ambition further, PM Modi suggested 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. He also asked whether our civil aviation ministries can coordinate a regional Air Ambulance agreement for medical contingencies.

"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," PM Modi said.

"Hopes of our region and the world are focus on rapid deployment of vaccines. In this too, we must maintain same cooperative and collaborative spirit. Over the past year, our health cooperation has achieved so much," Modi said.

Modi lauded the way the health systems of the countries cooperated during the pandemic and for meeting the challenge in the most densely populated region with a coordinated response.

PM Modi said, "We have not just shared medicines, PPEs and test kits but also shared an important aspect that is knowledge. The spirit of collaboration is a valuable takeaway. We have managed to achieve one of the lowest fatality rates. Today, we are focused on rapid deployment of vaccines."

PM Modi recalled the creation of Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund to meet the immediate costs of fighting the pandemic and sharing of resources -- such as medicines, PPE, and testing equipment.

"Through our openness and determination, we have managed to achieve one of the lowest fatality rates in the world. This deserves to be applauded. Today, the hopes of our region and the world are focused on the rapid deployment of vaccines. In this too, we must maintain the same cooperative and collaborative spirit," PM Modi said.

"If the 21st century is to be the Asian century, it cannot be without greater integration among the countries of South Asia and Indian Ocean island countries," PM Modi said.

India has supplied a total of 229.7 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccine to the global community so far, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
"As of date, we have supplied a total of 229.7 lakh doses to the global community. Of these, 64.7 lakh doses have been supplied as a grant while 165 lakh doses have been supplied on a commercial basis," said MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava.

When asked which countries are expected to get the vaccine doses in the coming days, MEA Srivastava said New Delhi expects to supply vaccines to more countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific island states.

Source: India Today

BDST: 1850 HRS, FEB 21, 2021
AP