PM Modi, WHO Chief Discuss Global Collaboration For Combating COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and World Health Organisation Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday discussed the ongoing global collaboration for combating COVID-19 pandemic, and also agreed on the need for integrating traditional medicine solutions into modern medical practice through holistic protocols.

The Prime Minister had a telephone conversation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) DG and he expressed his appreciation for the WHO’s important role in facilitating a coordinated global response to the pandemic, a Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) statement said.

During the call, PM Modi noted the need to not lose sight of the battle against other diseases, and appreciated the importance of WHO’s support to the health systems of developing countries.

The WHO director general stressed the close and regular collaboration between the WHO and the Indian health authorities, and specially appreciated the country’s domestic initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat scheme and the campaign against tuberculosis, the PMO said.

Ghebreyesus said India has an important role to play in global health issues.

The prime minister and the director general also had a productive discussion on the value of traditional medicinal systems, especially for enhancing wellness and immunity of the global population, the statement said.

They agreed on the need for integrating traditional medicine solutions into modern medical practice through holistic protocols, and for careful scientific validation of time-tested traditional medicine products and practices, it said.