Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday discussed the global response to COVID-19 with philanthropist Bill Gates and pitched for leveraging India’s Aarogya Setu contact tracing app globally to strengthen the fight against the disease.
During the discussion, Modi sought suggestions from Gates on how India’s capacities and capabilities could be better leveraged for the general benefit of the world.
“Some of the ideas that the dignitaries explored in this context included drawing upon India’s unique model of last-mile health service delivery in rural areas, dissemination of the effective contact-tracing mobile app developed by Government of India, and above all by leveraging India’s massive pharmaceutical capacity to scale-up the production of vaccines and therapeutics upon their discovery,” a PMO statement said.
Modi and Gates agreed that given India’s willingness and capacity to contribute to global efforts, particularly for benefit of fellow developing countries, it was important for India to be included in the ongoing global discussions for coordinating responses to the pandemic.
The Prime Minister also suggested that the Gates Foundation could take the lead in analysing the necessary changes in lifestyles, economic organisation, social behaviour, modes of disseminating education and healthcare, that would emerge in the post-COVID world.
Gates chairs the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which works closely on healthcare-related issues.
By- Sisel Soman- COO
WhatsApp us