PM Modi talks to Bill Gates: On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a discussion with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on the global response to the coronavirus pandemic. They also touched bases on the importance of global coordination to combat the pandemic via scientific innovation, according to a statement released by the PMO. During the discussion, PM Modi emphasised on India’s approach to fight the pandemic with public engagement through appropriate messaging.
The statement said that the PM explained the manner in which the country’s people-centric bottom-up approach led to the acceptance of physical distancing, respect and appreciation of the frontline workers, adoption of masks, maintenance of proper hygiene and respect for the lockdown guidelines.
Furthermore, PM Modi explained to Gates the manner in which some of the previous initiatives of the government, including Jan Dhan Yojana and Swachh Bharat Mission, helped in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic more effectively.
Appreciating the work being done by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the field of healthcare all across the world, PM Modi asked Gates for suggestions to improve the capacities and capabilities of India for the general benefit of the world.
A few ideas discussed by PM Modi and Gates included using India’s unique model of the last-mile delivery of health services in the rural areas, the dissemination of the Aarogya Setu app developed by the Union Government for effective contact tracing and most importantly, leveraging the massive capacity in India to ramp up the production of vaccines and therapeutics once they have been discovered. The two dignitaries also agreed that since India was willing and had the capacity to contribute to the global efforts against the pandemic, especially in terms of benefiting fellow developing countries, it was important that India be included in the global discussions held for coordinated response to the pandemic.
While concluding the video call, PM Modi suggested that the foundation of Bill Gates could lead the analysis of the lifestyle, economic, social, educational and healthcare changes that would become necessary in the world after the coronavirus pandemic, and the technological challenges that would be needed to address these changes, and added that India would be willing to contribute to any such analytical exercise, if carried out.
