PM interacts with SAARC leaders to combat COVID-19 in the region
March 15, 2020
PM proposes set up of COVID-19
Emergency Fund for SAARC countries
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with the leaders of the SAARC
countries through video conference to chart out a common strategy in order to
combat COVID-19 in the region.
Shared
History - Collective Future
Prime Minister thanked the leaders for joining the conference at such short
notice. Stressing on the ancient people to people ties and interconnectedness
of societies of the SAARC countries, he said it is imperative for the nations
to prepare to face the challenge together.
The
Way Forward
In the spirit of collaboration, Prime Minister Modi proposed creation of a
COVID-19 Emergency Fund based on voluntary contributions from all the
countries, with India making an initial offer of US $10 million for the fund.
The fund can be used by any of the partner countries to meet the cost of
immediate actions. He informed that India is assembling a Rapid Response Team
of doctors and specialists, along with testing kits and other equipment, which
will be on stand-by, to be placed at the disposal of the countries, if required.
Prime Minister also offered arranging for online training capsules for the
emergency response teams of the neighbouring countries and sharing of software
behind India’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal to help trace possible
virus carriers and the people they contacted. He suggested that existing
mechanisms like SAARC Disaster Management Centre can be used to pool in best
practises.
He also suggested creation of a common Research Platform to coordinate research
on controlling epidemic diseases within the South Asian region. He suggested
further brainstorming by experts on the long-term economic consequences of
COVID-19, and how best to insulate internal trade and local value chains from
its impact.
The leaders thanked the Prime Minister for the proposed initiatives. Prime
Minister reiterated the resolve to battle together and said that neighbourhood
collaboration by SAARC countries should serve as a model for the world.
Sharing
Experience
Prime Minister said the guiding mantra for India has been "prepare, but
don’t panic”. He laid down the proactive steps taken, including a graded
response mechanism, screening those entering the country, public awareness
campaigns on TV, print and social media, special efforts to reach out to the
vulnerable groups, ramping up of diagnostic facilities and developing protocols
for each stage of managing the pandemic.
He said that India has not only successfully evacuated almost 1400 Indians from
different countries but also evacuated some of the citizens of the neighbouring
countries in accordance with the ‘neighbourhood first policy’.
President Ashraf Ghani said that the greatest vulnerability of Afghanistan is
an open border with Iran. He proposed modelling diffusion patterns, creation of
common framework for telemedicine and greater cooperation amongst the
neighbouring countries.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih thanked the Indian government for the medical
assistance from India to deal with COVID-19 cases and for evacuating nine
Maldivians from Wuhan. He highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on
tourism in the country and its impact on the nation’s economy. He proposed
closer cooperation between the health emergency agencies of the countries,
formulation of economic relief package and long term recovery plan for the
region.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa recommended that SAARC leaders work together to
help economy tide over the difficult period. He also recommended establishment
of a SAARC Ministerial level group to share best practises and coordinate
regional matters on combating COVID-19.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked Prime Minister Modi for bringing 23
Bangladeshi students back from Wuhan along with Indian students during the
quarantine period. She proposed continuance of the dialogue at technical level
through video conference between Health Ministers and Secretaries of the region.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli apprised the SAARC leaders of the steps taken by
Nepal to combat COVID-19 . He said that the collective wisdom and efforts of
all the SAARC nations could help in devising a robust and effective strategy to
deal with the pandemic.
Prime Minister Doctor Lotay Tshering said the pandemic does-not follow
geographical boundaries, hence it is all the more important for the nations to
work together. He said the pandemic will affect the smaller and vulnerable
economies disproportionately, talking about the economic impact of COVID-19.
Doctor Zafar Mirza proposed that SAARC Secretariat be mandated to establish a
working group of national authorities for health Information, data exchange and
coordination in real time. He proposed hosting SAARC Health Ministers’
conference and development of regional mechanisms to share disease surveillance
data in real time.
