New Delhi: India is currently experiencing a decline in the number of covid-19 cases per day and the growth rate of cases because it was one of the first countries to adopt a lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. He addressed the inaugural function of the 2020 Grand Challenges Annual Meeting via videoconference.
India has one of the highest recovery rates of 88%, Modi said.
“India was one of the first to promote the use of masks. India started working actively on effective contact tracing, “Modi said, adding that the country was also one of the first to implement rapid antigen testing.
Modi also took note of other interventions that his government implemented before covid-19.
“We have carried out many interventions that are contributing to a better health system. Take sanitation. Improved cleaning. More toilet coverage. Who does this help the most? Help the poor and disadvantaged. It leads to a reduction in disease, “Modi said.
“Now we make sure that every household has piped drinking water. This will further ensure disease reduction. We are creating more medical schools, especially in rural areas. It brings better medical care to our villages,” he said.
Considering the role of science during covid-19 in India, the Prime Minister said that India has a strong and vibrant scientific community.
“We also have good scientific institutions. They have been India’s biggest assets, especially in recent months, as they battled COVID-19. From containment to capacity building, they have done wonders, the Prime Minister said.
The future, Modi said, will be shaped by societies that invest in science and innovation. “But, this cannot be done in a myopic way. You have to invest in science and innovation well in advance, “Modi said, adding that is when we can make a profit at the right time,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that the path to these innovations must be shaped by collaboration and public participation. Science will never prosper in silos. The Grand Challenges program has understood this spirit well. The scale of this program is commendable, the prime minister said.
Modi said India wants to help other nations improve their capabilities in vaccine manufacturing and immunization. In addition to Covid, India is known for its proven ability to produce quality vaccines and drugs at low cost, he said. The prime minister said that India is moving ahead with phase 3 clinical trials in India and other neighboring countries.
The Grand Challenges 2020 Annual Meeting is jointly organized by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Department of Biotechnology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Government of India, the Indian Council for Medical Research and NITI Aayog, together with Grand Challenges Canada, the United States Agency for International Development and Wellcome.
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