SAARC Disaster Management Centre launches website to share info on coronavirus

SAARC Disaster Manment Centre has launched a website for information related to coronavirus pandemic in region as proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during recent video conference with leers and representatives of member states.

website shows number of coronavirus cases in member states, updating numbers regularly.

It shows that at least 960 coronavirus cases have been reported in SAARC region with maximum from Pakistan (495), followed by India (324), Sri Lanka (77), Afghanistan (24), Banglesh (24), Maldives (13), Bhutan (2) and Nepal (1). website says that at least 5 people have lost ir lives due to COVID-19 in India, three in Pakistan, while two died in Banglesh.

"From regional plan to regional action! SAARC Disaster Manment Centre launches a website for information related to COVID-19 pandemic in SAARC region, as anunced by PM Narendra Modi during video conference with SAARC Leers," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

During video conference last Sunday, Modi h called for using existing facilities, like SAARC Disaster Manment Centre, to pool in best practices among all member states to combat coronavirus.

"Looking ahe, we could create a common Research Platform, to coordinate research on controlling epidemic diseases within our South Asian region. Indian Council of Medical Research can offer help coordinating such an exercise," prime minister h said.

Modi h also proposed an emergency fund with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India. Apart from Modi, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, Banglesh premier Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and Special Assistant to Pakistani Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza, h participated in conference.

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation and geopolitical union of Afghanistan, Banglesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Im Credits: ANI