Published 22:43 IST, February 18th 2021
SAARC nations thank PM Modi for vaccines; support all 5 proposals after COVID-19 workshop
PM Modi had proposed to create a special visa scheme for doctors and nurses of the SAARC nations allowing them to travel quickly within the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hosted a COVID-19 workshop with members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). During the meeting, all countries including Pakistan supported PM’s five proposals, asking for a structured discussion for regional cooperation to take them forward.
PM Modi had proposed to create a special visa scheme for doctors and nurses of the SAARC nations allowing them to travel quickly within the region during health emergencies on the requirement of the receiving country. Moreover, the PM had also sought the civil aviation ministries of the member nations to coordinate a regional air ambulance agreement for medical contingencies. A regional network for promoting technology-assisted epidemiology for preventing future pandemics was another proposal that the Prime Minister put forward. He had also strongly vocalized the need to strengthen regional solidarity outside of the pandemic and encompassing other challenges as well.
The PM's address was well received with all member nations agreeing over the need for such cooperation on a regional basis for fighting future pandemics. Also, all countries (except Pakistan which has not received COVID-19 vaccines from India) thanked India and PM Modi for the supply of vaccines and various medicines, equipment, and training, earlier in the pandemic.
India hosts Coronavirus workshop
India hosted an international workshop on COVID-19 management titled-- 'Experience, Good Practices & the Way Forward' on February 18 with countries namely - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles in attendance.
Last year in March amid the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initiated a meeting with the Heads of governments from SAARC to discuss the impact of Coronavirus in the region and how the South Asian nations could come up with a common strategy to tackle it. Here PM Modi had also proposed the SAARC Corona Fund with India contributing $10 million to it. While it was attended by Heads of all the SAARC nations, Pakistan Prime Minister had not participated in the meeting and had sent his special adviser Zafar Mirza instead.
Emphasising its 'neighbourhood first' policy, India has sent millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccines as grants to SAARC member nations. To date, India has supplied its 'Made in India' vaccines to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Seychelles Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Mauritius. Pakistan on the other hand sought its vaccines from all-weather friend China which it later claimed was 'not effective for people over 60 years of age.' China had donated half a million doses of Sinopharm vaccines to Pakistan in the first week of February.
Updated 22:43 IST, February 18th 2021