'Prepare, But Don't Panic': PM Modi On Coronavirus At SAARC Video Conference

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with leaders and representatives from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations participated in a video conference discuss ways to fight the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 5,000 people worldwide. Apart from PM Modi, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bhutanese premier Lotay Tshering, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Special Assistant to Pakistani Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza participated in the video conference.

Stressing on the need of ‘remain vigilant’, PM Modi in his opening address said that the South Asian region has reported less than 150 coronavirus cases. “Prepare, but don’t panic” has been India’s guiding mantra in dealing with coronavirus outbreak, he said.

“We started screening people entering India from mid-January itself, while gradually increasing restrictions on travel,” the prime minister said. Step-by-step approach helped avoid panic and India made special efforts to reach out to vulnerable groups, he said.

India also responded to the call of its people abroad and evacuated nearly 1,400 Indians from different countries, he said. PM Modi also said India helped some citizens of neighbouring countries by evacuating them from coronavirus-hit nations.

PM Modi 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.

Calling on the SAARC nations to set an example for the world, Modi had reached out to the eight-member regional grouping and pitched for a video-conference among its leaders to chalk out a strong strategy to fight coronavirus, which has killed more than 5,000 people globally.

Here are the highlights: