Health experts in India propose shared electronic platform for SAARC nations to tackle COVID-19
On March 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference with leaders of SAARC nations to chalk out a joint strategy to fight the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 5,000 people worldwide.
Health professionals representing India at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) video conference on Thursday proposed a shared electronic media platform for the members of the organisation to share knowledge, and practices to combat the COVID-19 epidemic.
The Indian side also said that in the intermittent period till the platform is developed by Health Services experts of SAARC countries, a Whatsapp group or an email could be set up to share information related to the virus on a real time basis.
India also made a presentation covering crucial aspects of tackling the pandemic which includes risk assessment, diagnostics, isolation and quarantine methods and facilities, clinical management of patients, treatment options, protocols and safety of healthcare providers, disease surveillance, contact tracing, travel restrictions, and evacuation.
It was also highlighted in the meeting of that the electronic platform could also be used to conduct activities like online training for emergency response personnel, knowledge partnerships, sharing of expertise in disease surveillance, including the corresponding software, and joint research for new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for epidemic diseases
Other SAARC countries also shared their measures and experiences in tackling the disease and highlighted the resources and logistics,, preparedness to tackle the contagious virus.
On March 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference with leaders of SAARC nations to chalk out a joint strategy to fight the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 5,000 people worldwide.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bhutanese premier Lotay Tshering, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistan's Minister of State for Health Zafar Mirza participated in the video conference.
Modi outlined India's efforts to deal with the outbreak and suggested various measures to combat the disease in south Asia.
He had on Friday had proposed formulation of a joint strategy by the SAARC nations to fight coronavirus, a suggestion that was backed by all the member states.